Lead Me Down the Garden Path
by princesspvmpernickel
Summary: Fear of unemployment made Kagome accept the first job offered: a job introducing her to infamous celebrity, Inuyasha Taisho. As the two get closer, she learns of dark secrets and a global scandal that make her question herself, her feelings, and Inuyasha. She didn't intend to get caught up in the violence and corruption of Inuyasha's past. She also didn't intend to fall in love.
1. Prologue

_**Author's Note**_

Hey everybody!

I've actually gone and made some really minor adjustments to the first chapter because it was one of those things I just never really was happy with. I think I finally wrestled it into a state of submission that I'm pleased with. Overall, I'm actually pretty excited about this story. I hope you are too!

Or, at least, I think I have enough excitement, curve-balls, and sexiness upcoming to keep you eager for more :D

Also, as my one and only disclaimer for this story and all my others, I own zero part of Inuyasha. Rumiko Takahashi financially owns all of him, and emotionally owns the part of my soul that adores Inuyasha so.

Enjoy! :)

* * *

 **Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Prologue_

* * *

Perspective is a spiteful, caustic bitch.

At least, that's what Inuyasha would come to think during the aftermath of all this.

The once proud, self-sufficient half-demon would come to know weakness, helplessness, and vulnerability—all in the package of Kagome Higurashi.

How was there ever a time he breathed before her? Loved before her? Fucked or made love before her?

When all was said and done, there was nothing but Kagome. There could only ever be Kagome.

She made up for it all. She fixed all the broken, shitty pieces that were his life before her. Her laugh was caulking to his fragmented emotions. Her smile made him feel strength again. The pleasure he found in her body made him feel infinite and whole, things he would never have guessed this life would grant him.

Despite all the goodness that Kagome represented in his life, until his dying day, he would be haunted by one thing: he was the reason she almost died.

Maybe it was her stubbornness that got her involved in the danger of his past life. Maybe it was her love for him that made her refuse to allow him to go through it alone. Either way, he didn't know what he would have done if she had never woken up again.

But, again, that was all perspective.

Our story begins at a time where Inuyasha didn't know Kagome yet. The name Inuyasha Taisho hadn't made itself significant to Kagome yet.

But it would.

And she had no idea, no perspective or insight, to realize just how critically her life was about to change.

* * *

She didn't know where to go from here.

Despite four years of employment and countless rave reviews from parents, students, and colleagues alike, it all meant nothing. All roads led to this one: unemployment.

Kagome released a forceful sigh to stay the tears that threatened to fall. Her self-pity turning into anger, she tightened her grip on the Corolla's steering wheel.

She had bid heartfelt goodbyes to her grade two students once the clock chimed the end of the school day. It was the first day of summer; the last day of school. It was the last working day Kagome would come to know at Tokyo Collegiate Secondary Institute. With fewer and fewer young families moving into the school zone, the school was costing the municipality more than it could possibly afford, and, unfortunately, the school had to close. There were no other options.

As she had gathered up the last of her things from the desk she was just beginning to like, a member of the administrative staff interrupted Kagome's thoughts. The woman attempted small talk, but Kagome didn't want the interaction. She wanted to go home and pound back a bottle of wine. There was a sauvignon blanc in the fridge at home that was supposed to be a "congratulations on making it through another school year" bottle; however, Kagome lamented that it had unintentionally become a "sorry you're now out of a job" bottle.

The staff member had left Kagome a brochure on how to collect unemployment insurance since Kagome would be formally laid off from the school board. Kagome grudgingly took the pamphlet, nodded her thanks, and wished the woman a good day. Kagome heard the woman's heels _clack-clack-clack_ until Kagome was alone again. In the silence of the room, she continued packing up her felt-tipped markers and sticker books.

Once all trace of her had been removed from her homeroom, 312, Kagome had literally thrown her belongings into the trunk of her white Corolla and plopped herself heavily into the driver's seat.

This was where Kagome sat for the next twenty-five minutes. She didn't feel capable of driving, worried that tears would propel themselves down her cheeks at any minute, making the task of driving quite difficult.

Kagome had sent a text message to her best friend, Sango, in the morning when the Principal had made the formal announcement. Despite the parents rallying together and all the money that went into the "Save TCSI!" posters, the school was closing. It would be torn down in two months' time. Over the lunch period—her last lunch period, she mourned—Kagome had overheard two colleagues gossiping that several blocks of townhomes might be built once the school was gone.

Sango had been supportive once she received the news. She tried to call Kagome but Kagome just let the phone ring; she didn't feel like putting energy in voicing what her fingers were equally capable of saying. Seeing that her friend was searching for her first job as a paralegal—fresh out of school—Sango said she would keep an eye out for Kagome for possible teaching jobs.

The premise of job searching made a fresh batch of tears appear in her eyes.

Deciding that she had had enough of wallowing, Kagome drew her seatbelt over her shoulder, turned the key in the ignition, and released the parking break. Putting her car into drive and pulling out of the school's parking lot, Kagome intentionally avoided taking a final glimpse of the school through the rear-view mirror. The sauvignon blanc was calling, and Kagome was all-too-willing to acquiesce.

The next few days went by without too much happening: the news had got out that the school was closing; Kagome had to reluctantly answer a call from her mother concerning said news; Kagome restocked her fridge with more wine; and Sango came over.

"You'd think I would have picked an education that would actually get me a job…" Sango bemused as she poured herself another glass of wine. "I mean, in this _entire_ city, there are…maybe _four_ paralegal or paralegal assistant jobs? _All_ of them—and I'm not being dramatic, Kagome, I really mean all of them—want _at least_ three to five years' experience! I'm never going to find a job."

Kagome smiled empathetically at her friend and willingly accepted another glass of wine. Sango was quite generous with her portioning.

"You've been out of school…what, like, two months now? Work will come, Sango. Things just slow down for the summer."

Sango groaned, "It's been three. And I know things slow down, Kagome, I'm used to you not working over the summers, remember? The only friggin' jobs that are out there are ones that don't require any post-secondary."

Kagome took a hearty sip of wine and sighed contentedly at the rush it left in the back of her throat.

"I'm applying to everything," Kagome commented nonchalantly. "I mean…I just finished unpacking the boxes for this stupid new apartment—which I got when I had a teacher's salary!—and then I lose my job." Kagome groaned, "If I don't get a job soon I'm going to be homeless."

Sango laughed, "I'll make sure there's a spot on my couch for you long before it comes to that, Kagome. Don't worry."

Kagome made a face and took another sip of wine. Silence overcame the girls as they sat at the table in Kagome's pearl white, as-clean-as-a-surgical-room kitchen.

"So what sort of jobs have you applied to?" Sango inquired.

Kagome giggled, "Everything."

Sango turned her eyes to the MacBook on the table and used the fingerpad to scroll through the online job board. "You applied to all this crap?"

Kagome gulped down her wine, "Don't remind me." Then another sip to finish off the glass, "I'm desperate for work."

Sango laughed and pointed incredulously to the laptop, "You have a degree in Art and History and you applied to be a strawberry picker? Kagome, you can't be serious..."

"I need work, Sango!" Kagome cried with outstretched arms. "If I want to keep this apartment and as much of the lifestyle I've grown used to, I need to be open to the opportunities, and right now those opportunities—"

"—Look like a shit-ton of manual labour," Sango interrupted with wide, amused eyes.

Kagome groaned, and watched Sango take another sip before resting her cheeks in her hands.

"Maybe it won't be all bad?" Kagome exclaimed in hopes of trying to see the glass half full. "I mean, this one," she said, pointing to a retail sales job she applied to, "this could get me some decent discounts on shoes and clothing. And this one," she pointed to another posting two below the other, "this could get me cheaper groceries."

"You applied to be a bartender?"

"Cheap drinks!" Kagome cried enthusiastically, emptying the contents of the bottle into hers and Sango's cups. Sango thanked her friend, her cheeks turning that slight tinge of cherry-pink which Kagome knew meant Sango was moving into a more concentrated state of intoxication.

"Kagome…" Sango sighed, placing her hand comfortingly on top of her friends, "What credentials do you have for any of these jobs?"

Kagome shrugged. After a few moments of silence as Sango continued scrolling through the jobs, Kagome pointed to the screen at a landscaping job she had applied to that morning.

"I could totally do this," she said, pointing dramatically to the list of job duties. "It looks like it pays pretty well, and I used to help my grandpa with grounds maintenance at the Shrine," Kagome proffered. "Grounds maintenance seems like pretty decent experience for landscaping."

Sango pulled a face then nodded her head slightly, agreeing with the sentiment.

Kagome put a thoughtful finger to her chin, "Although…I didn't tend to the garden much…or preen any plants or weeds…or help my grandfather or Souta with the mulching or mowing or seeding."

Sango smirked, "So what _did_ you do?"

"I…" Kagome thought, "…swept?"

Sango laughed, "I don't really think that counts."

Kagome's phone started to chime, distracting her from the disappointment Sango's comment brought. She peered over at the device, failing to register a number appearing on the screen that was unrecognized. Her stomach jumped excitedly at the prospect of it being a call for an interview.

"Hello, this is Kagome," she said into the device, grinning stupidly and hopefully at Sango.

"Yes, hi, Kagome? This is Kouga Ōkami calling from RT Landscaping Company. How are you doing today?"

Kagome's stomach flipped, "Hi, Kouga! I'm doing just fine thank you."

"That's great," the tinny version of the masculine voice replied. "I'm calling in response to the resume we received this morning. I'm hoping you'd be available to start next Monday."

"You're offering me a job?"

Kouga laughed on the other side of the line, "Isn't that why you submitted a resume?"

Kagome chuckled hesitantly, "Yes, of course. But, shouldn't the next step be an interview or something?"

There was silence on the other side for a few seconds before a cautious-sounding Kouga spoke again. "We've had quite a few last minute resignations that have left us really shorthanded. We have a large project starting on Monday that's expected to take up the majority of the summer for a couple of our teams, and…well, being blunt with you, Kagome…I'm pretty desperate for some man—er, pardon me— _woman_ power."

Kagome had held the phone a little ways away from her ear so Sango could hear the conversation as well. As Sango polished off the last few sips of wine, she gave Kagome an encouraging thumbs up.

"Oh," she responded. "Well, um, would you mind if I asked why so many people have resigned?"

There was silence on the other end again. Kagome's stomach muscles tightened fearfully. She mentally kicked herself for asking that question. Despite wanting to look out for her best interests, she wasn't in a position to be too picky about jobs. She wasn't raised to be an entitled person; she should accept the job graciously and not take it for granted. Work was work.

"Being honest? Well…" Kouga paused, "I don't mean to be unprofessional, Kagome, but the guy we're doing our current job for is kind of a dick."

Kagome snorted a laugh at the comment, and then quickly covered her mouth and nose with her hand to stop the desire to laugh.

"You don't work with the guy," Kouga was quick to offer, "But he's picked on a couple of my people and they just up and quit 'cause they had enough. But, don't worry—I told him that those kinds of behaviours won't be tolerated anymore."

Sango made a face at Kagome that Kagome understood to mean, _What the hell?_ Kagome shrugged in response and bit her bottom lip.

There were red flags everywhere about this job. Despite Kouga's claims about not wanting to be unprofessional, he _did_ just call his client a dick. This client also made Kagome kind of nervous; she didn't want to put herself in an environment where employees were being harassed to the point where they had to quit.

She sighed. Taking a look around the kitchen that she had fallen in love with the second she saw it, Kagome realized she needed to suck it up. Who knew when the next call for a job offer or interview would come? She needed to be optimistic. She was lucky to be getting a job offer merely days after she was laid off.

"You still there, Kagome?"

Kagome mentally rolled her eyes at herself for leaving Kouga hanging in silence on the other end.

"Yeah, sorry, Kouga. And sure, it's no problem. I can start Monday."

"Really? Oh that's great, Kagome. That's just great. You wouldn't happen to have some names of people also interested in a job would you? I could use about three to four more guys."

Kagome covered up the mouthpiece of her phone by pressing the device against her chest. She locked eyes with her friend.

"They need more people," she whispered to Sango. "Do you want an immediate job? Like…literally immediate. It starts Monday."

Sango nodded vigorously, making Kagome laugh, and she put the phone back to her ear.

"Kouga?"

"Still here, Kagome."

"Okay, great. There's a girlfriend of mine, she's here with me now, actually, who is currently looking for work. She'd be interested in the job. I'm more than happy to pass the phone over to her so you can speak with her about—"

"—Nope, I'm okay," he interrupted, taking Kagome by surprise. "You girls just both show up here, oh-seven-hundred on Monday and I'll get all the details from 'er then.

"This is just great," he said again, "Make sure you both have steel-toed boots with you. We provide all the other gear. Bring a lunch—there's not much else around in these parts. We'll provide the t-shirts, but please make sure you wear full-length pants. Jeans are fine. No yoga pants, though, 'kay?"

As Kouga provided the details, Kagome pulled her laptop closer, opened the notes application, and quickly typed down all the details for their first day of work. Kagome verified the information she had been given, including to where she and Sango were supposed to report for their first day, and thanked Kouga again for the opportunity.

Once Kagome was off the phone, the girls squealed with delight and gave each other a hug.

With her first official day of work only three days away, Kagome glamourized what she thought the job would be like. She pictured a slimmer stomach from the exercise, a nice tan from being in the summer's sun, and a decent-sized weekly pay cheque that would allow her to keep the apartment and the majority of her somewhat fanciful lifestyle.

But she really had no idea what she was getting herself into.

Kagome didn't realize the nine and a half hour workdays she had ahead of her. Or, despite being paid fairly well, that it was going to be very hard, tiring work that left her with very little time or energy to spend the money she earned. She didn't picture herself leaving work every day a sweaty, cranky, and hungry mess. She didn't think about the sunburns, or the exhausted muscles, or the ear strain, or the bruises.

The realities of the job with RT Landscaping were completely oblivious to Kagome.

She had no idea that this job would bring into her life _the_ Inuyasha Taisho, the most infamous man in Japan for his involvement in one of the biggest and most controversial pop cultural phenomenon of the 2000s.

If only she knew now how much pleasure, heartbreak, and deadly fortune this job was really going to cause her.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

Dun, dun, dunnnnnnnn! Thank you! Wanna be a dear and review? :D Any thoughts on what the controversy may be? Would love to hear your insights and speculations! Full speed ahead to sexy Inu-Kag developments!


	2. Sengoku Manor

_**Author's Note**_

Thanks so much to all of you who reviewed the first chapter! Your excitement and encouragement for this story is so appreciated!

Here is the new chapter, as promised! Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Sengoku Manor_

* * *

Kagome was feeling surprisingly optimistic about her first day at work. But, she didn't realize that she had such a long day in store for her.

Sango had brought her resume with her to provide to Kouga, considering he really had no idea whether Sango was qualified to do the job, not to mention didn't even know her name; but, he never ended up asking for the document. He greeted both girls, asked them if they were ready to work hard, and then led them inside. Sango ended up folding the paper into eighths and sliding it into the zippered pocket on the back of her pants. She would end up recycling the document when she got home later that night.

Kagome experienced quite a bit of anxiety that morning over what to wear. Her entire wardrobe, filled with business casual and formal teacher-appropriate clothing, taunted her when she reached for a pair of jeans first thing that Monday morning. This new "casual" process of getting ready for her day felt so foreign to her. None-the-less, Kagome got ready with her usual cup of coffee and precision in ensuring she was a presentable professional, regardless the occupation. Kagome ended up choosing a pair of jeans that, if ruined by the physical labour, wouldn't be the end of the world. She straightened her hair, adorned a modest amount of make up, finished her coffee, and went to pick up Sango.

With an incredulous smirk, Kagome had just shook her head at her friend as Sango had climbed into the front seat. Sango, despite Kouga's instructions, ended up wearing yoga pants.

From years of teaching cardio kickboxing classes, Sango always had a body that revealed hard work and warranted attention. Sango was proud of her body and she wore the tightest shirts, skirts, and tights, without an ounce of body fat to be seen anywhere. Sango never wore jeans. Actually, Kagome didn't even think Sango _owned_ jeans. Kagome recalled countless times of Sango explaining that she felt the inflexible material made her feel too restrained to be comfortable. Sango always preferred clothing that allowed her body to move and breathe as she needed.

When the girls got out of Kagome's Corolla and approached the small, white, rectangular building, Kouga had greeted them with a toothy, bright smile. Kagome smirked at seeing how Kouga had eyed Sango up and down, his eyes taking in the sight of her in her black racer-back tank top and shin-length yoga pants; yet, he didn't say anything. Sango's long black-brown hair was tied back into a loose ponytail and her pink eyeshadow, mascara, and nude lipstick was just enough makeup to balance her muscular, strong physique with a classic and subtle feminine beauty.

Despite the tendency for men to pay more attention to Sango, Kagome wasn't oblivious to the stares she also received from Kouga. In her light blue Levi's and red and black checkered button-up, Kagome looked like she was ready for a night out at a country-western bar. Her hair loose around her shoulders, and her bright brown eyes appearing alert and eager, she had still put quite a bit of effort into her morning routine. She felt a blush begin to grow across her cheeks under the scrutiny of Kouga's blue-grey eyes.

But Kagome wasn't the only one receiving a once-over, she was giving it too. Kagome couldn't help the way her eyes branched across Kouga's body, observing and appreciating the appeal of his broad shoulders and thin waist. She could tell he had been in this industry a while. Kouga's skin was the shade of tan everybody wished they obtained while on vacation, and his upper body was built strong; each muscle was specifically defined and barely contained within his pale blue t-shirt bearing the RT Landscaping (which Kagome noticed Kouga called RTL, regularly) name and logo: the 2D outline of a treed landscape. Kagome also couldn't help but notice how well-defined his thighs were, the muscles just peeking through below the line of his cargo shorts.

Once the girls completed their paperwork and training, Kouga provided them with their work shirts. In the bathroom, they put on the shirts. Sango stripped to her sports bra right in front of the mirror. As she was pitching the black tank top off, Kagome, more modestly, locked herself in a bathroom stall and unbuttoned her shirt. Once the girls looked the part of real landscapers, Kouga led them to the boardroom to introduce them to a few others who were just arriving and taking a seat while they waited for their next assignment.

Kagome and Sango first met Shippou, a young, spritely boy who was just out of high school, returning for his second summer at RTL. Next to arrive was Ayame, a girl with beautiful auburn hair who appeared to be Sango and Kagome's age, but didn't seem too keen to interact with anyone this early in the day. She acknowledged the girls with a nod of her head and then walked by them to take a seat across the room. Kagome was quick to notice the look Ayame shot Kouga as she walked by him; it was a glance that radiated pure sexual hunger. Kagome quickly turned her eyes away, feeling uncomfortable for noticing something so intimate about a stranger.

A few more people arrived and entered the boardroom; however, Kagome was so overwhelmed with new information in a foreign industry that she forgot the names immediately. By the time the workday was starting, there were eleven people all-in-all, including Kouga who stood at the front of the boardroom and bid everyone a good morning.

"All right gang, I just want to first start us off by welcoming our two newest, Kagome Higurashi and Sango Hantā."

There were a few "hi's" called out and a pitifully attempted applause. Kagome wanted to presume the lack of energy was from it being 7:30 in the morning; however, Sango picked up the vibe that the low energy was due to people not really wanting to be there. Sango observed that everyone seemed a bit disengaged.

"Alright! So, as I explained on Friday, starting today, we've been generously provided with some projects for commercial grounds throughout a few of the districts. I expect this will take a couple of the teams a good portion of the summer. The goal is to aim for at least two grounds per week. That seems simple enough, but the properties are large. This means it's important to work hard. You guys know I have pretty high standards. The fact that the heat this summer is supposed to be one for the books doesn't mean I'll allow any slacking."

Kouga's eyes glinted warningly, "This week especially will be humid. Make sure you stock up on water. Use the coolers in the trucks. Team Leaders, you're expected to remind your crews to reapply sunscreen every two hours. Forget, and your ass is grass, understood?"

There were several anxious nods and Kouga smirked, "Alright then, let's move on to your assignments! Hakakku, your team is taking the Shinjuku District Park. The project details are in your mailbox. You are assigned truck two. Ginta!"

A nervous looking man stood up clumsily from his chair and said, "Yes, Kouga?"

"Your team is assigned Yoyogi Park. You get truck three. Your details are in your box."

"Yes, Kouga!" he said again, and then scrambled out of his seat to assemble his team.

"Alright, and as for my team…"

A few people sighed in response to Kouga's comment, causing Kagome to turn over her shoulder with a questioning face.

"We'll be in truck one. For you ladies who are new, other than this new commercial gig, our biggest project to date is the assignment of Sengoku Manor. We've been tasked with the aquascape, installation of an irrigation system, and general grounds maintenance including attending to the trees and flowerbeds. We're currently in week two of the project."

Kouga crossed his arms, "You'll all remember that the owner just requested we build a garden structure on the west side of the building. Kagome and Sango, this will be your task. I'll have Shippou show you around the property when we first get there to give you a lay of the land. He'll review the owner's rules with you and get you started. I'll pop by later in the day to help you with technique and ergonomics to ensure you don't strain yourselves on your first day. Good?"

Both girls nodded.

Kagome was already overwhelmed. She wanted to know what Kouga meant by "owner's rules."

Following the end of the briefing, Kagome and Sango followed the others and climbed into 'truck one' along with Kouga, Ayame, and Shippou. Kagome wasn't really all that surprised when she saw Kouga clamber into the front seat; however, she raised an eyebrow when she saw Ayame take the passenger front seat despite Shippou yelling "shotgun" on the way across the parking lot.

Sango shared a knowing glance with Kagome and made an obscene hand gesture to her friend while winking. Kagome rolled her eyes and fastened her seatbelt; she didn't want to envision her new boss having sexual intercourse with one of her colleagues.

The car ride was smooth and sporadically noisy. Shippou ended up being quite talkative, as he was curious about his two new colleagues, and Kouga and Ayame had a quiet conversation in the front that Kagome couldn't overhear because of the road noise.

After a thirty-minute drive, Kagome was climbing out of the truck and trying to calm her rising anxiety at the rod iron gate and Western-styled mansion whose steep roof peaked out down a long, heavily treed driveway. Kagome's eyes quickly observed the aged metal plaque with an inscription that stated "Sengoku Manor" with the address below it in fanciful italic fonts.

Kagome was mesmerized as she watched Kouga get out of the truck and approach the intercom. Her brown eyes widened when the iron gates swung open towards them. Kouga returned to the truck and devoted his attention to the contents in the trunk. Kouga quickly shouted over to Shippou that he should take Kagome and Sango around the property now. Kouga further stated that he and Ayame would get everything set up so that Kagome and Sango would be good to go once the tour was done.

Shippou nodded and waved his arm to have the girls follow him.

As they made their way up the paved driveway, Kagome's eyes swung back and forth between the wide-trunk trees on either side of the road and the canopy of leaves above them.

"How come we don't take truck?" Kagome inquired, her eyes narrowing at the long walk they had ahead of them to reach the mansion looming over them in the distance. Kagome suspected the driveway to be at least a kilometre long.

"The owner doesn't like our trucks on his property," Shippou remarked. "It's one of his _rules_."

Kagome picked up a hint of attitude in Shippou's comment. She wondered why the owner would impose such a silly rule.

"Who _lives_ here?" Sango gasped, looking around her as she walked beside her friend.

"Inuyasha Taisho," Shippou spat, walking beside Kagome, his hand gripping the strap of the cooler swung over his arm. "I don't understand all the hype about him personally. He's just some jerk who was famous and is now living off his riches.

"Pardon my language, but he's a _huge_ asshole," Shippou said, making eye contact with Kagome, "so I suggest staying away from him as much as possible. He doesn't tend to socialize with us much because he thinks we're beneath him. But he's gotten into fights with some of our people before for really petty shit."

"Inuyasha… _Taisho_?" Sango repeated, her eyes wide. Despite all the things Shippou just said, Kagome couldn't fathom why Sango took special note of the name.

Shippou nodded with a closed eye, holding back a yawn, " _Yep_."

" _The_ Inuyasha whose brother is _Sesshoumaru_ Taisho? The famous model?"

"Yep."

"You mean to say that this… _monstrosity of a house..._ belongs to the former agent for The Band of Seven!?"

"That's the one."

Sango laughed and clapped her hands together, "Well, I'll-be- _damned_! This is amazing!"

Kagome cocked her head to the side. "You know this guy, Sango?"

Sango turned to her friend bewildered, " _Everyone_ knows him Kagome! He's _Inuyasha Taisho_. He was the manager of the band!"

"What band?"

"The Band of Seven!"

Kagome's face was expressionless in response.

"You totally know their music, Kagome. I've listened to them before when you were around. Inuyasha was their _manager_!"

Kagome blinked her eyes in confusion, a blank expression on her face. "I have no idea who that is."

"No, come on, Kagome. You must have heard about Inuyasha before! The band was like… _the_ band ten years ago."

Kagome made a face and shrugged her shoulders.

"'The Tale of Banryū?' 'Mercenary?' 'Resurrection?' I'm positive you must have heard one of those singles."

Kagome shook her head.

"It was all over the radio, Kagome. Plus, I was _obsessed_ with their album, 'Mount Hakurei.' You _must_ have heard it."

Kagome laughed uneasily, "I've honestly never heard of any of this before in my life."

"Well, you're not missing much," Shippou chimed in. "Long story short, the band broke up when the drummer got arrested for drug possession, and then Inuyasha took his riches and ended up here."

"The band _didn't_ just break up, Shippou!" Sango claimed animatedly, "There was that huge investigation that revealed the band was involved in drug trafficking," Sango turned to Kagome, "Like… _gang_ -related drug trafficking. That _must_ sound familiar, Kagome. It was all over the news. It was like…the biggest investigation since…ever! It's pretty much the Japanese version of the OJ Simpson trials!"

Kagome rested an awkward hand behind her head. "Sorry, Sango. It's still not ringing a bell."

"Jesus Christ, Kagome," Sango laughed, "I'm honestly shocked this is the first you're hearing of it."

"But why is this Inuyasha guy such a big deal?" Kagome asked, her eyes trying to size up the house she was approaching.

Shippou turned to face her, "Because it's still unknown how he got out of it."

"Got out of what?" Kagome questioned.

Sango's face went suddenly serious, "The _entire_ band is in jail, Kagome. They were all in on it. The only person to get out of the situation with no repercussions at all was Inuyasha. He was found innocent of the whole thing."

Kagome furrowed her brows. "But, if the whole band was involved in drug trafficking, as the agent or manager of the band, wouldn't he likely have been in on it?"

Sango nudged her friend in the arm, "Now you know why he's so famous. He's a mystery, Kagome. The trial was the biggest thing to happen in Japan in the new millennium. There's so many conspiracy theories about the whole thing. No one knows how Inuyasha was able to get out of the situation untouched."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

Only a few more paragraphs to go on the next chapter!

Your comments are always appreciated! Please review :)

*princess p.


	3. Humidity

_**Author's Note**_

Your reviews are so appreciated! I'm so excited you are all enjoying the story. I'm really enjoying writing this one; I tend to stick to the more complex, darker stuff, so this somewhat lighter one is a breath of fresh air.

Please enjoy…and review! (shameless, I know)

* * *

 **Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Humidity_

* * *

When Kagome was nine years old, she learned about ecosystems in school. To complement her in-class education, her teacher took her class on two field trips, one to an animal farm a district over, and the other to a recycling plant. Despite being tall for her age, Kagome had felt so small in comparison to the giant properties and buildings.

Kagome was now positive that Sengoku Manor was bigger than both the farm and recycling plant. She felt miniscule all over again.

Once she learned the ominous history surrounding Inuyasha, she had walked around his property, led by Shippou, uneasily. She focused her eyes on the expansive, floor to ceiling windows on the first floor of the four-storey house, as if she was guarding herself for someone she was expecting to see watching her tour the grounds.

Shippou led the girls up the front driveway towards the house, but then veered off towards the pool house, rounded the tennis court, pointed out the four-car garage, and led them into the backyard sitting area. For some reason, Kagome's mind kept coming back to images she had once seen of grand Louisiana-style plantation manors. The house felt old and had a presence that lingered around the property that was intimidating and powerful. Naturally, Kagome thought, a powerful person had to live here. Even as Shippou spoke, Kagome found her eyes helplessly turning upwards to observe the house that towered over her.

Despite it still being morning, Kagome felt her hair sticking to the back of her neck and a fresh coat of sweat developing on her forehead. It was already so humid.

The house (or as Shippou also called it: manor, castle, property or mansion) had white vinyl siding with black shutters and large cylindrical pillars bookending the front porch. As Shippou guided the tour, Kagome observed that they didn't directly approach the front of the house; Shippou took her and Sango up a side path so Kagome could only see the front of the house from a diagonal view. When Kagome inquired, Shippou said that one of Inuyasha's rule was that no one could be in the front yard if they weren't working.

Kagome turned to appreciate the detailed effort that went into the maintenance of the house's front yard.

Kagome had never been one for horticulture. She suddenly felt very dumb for taking a landscaping/gardening job, and yet she couldn't identify a single flower, bush, or tree on the grounds before her. She was, however, able to appreciate the symmetry of the landscaping. The house had an expansive yard that was crisp and tidy, and a garden that hugged the edge of the house, disappearing where the front stairs appeared and then continued on the other side to round the rest of the house. Long grass and short grass bushes sprouted from the garden, standing guard on either side of the stairs. Red, white, and yellow flowers appeared in bunches here and there. The garden's edge was curved, like the shape of a shallow 's,' and Kagome marveled at how pristinely the edge of the garden was separated from the edge of the lawn. She guessed there was approximately a two-inch gap between where the garden ended and grass began. Mulch beds surrounded the bases of towering trees on the front of the property, and with the humidity rising in the air as the day went on, the smell tickled and pleased Kagome's nose. She noticed that the base of the trees also had that two-inch gap; it separated the mulch from the grass.

Sango called Kagome's name and it drew her out of the trance as she scrutinised the front lawn. The two were disappearing without her, and Kagome skipped into action to not be left behind.

Shippou was very detailed in explaining the amount of work that went into a trim here or a design there. He would also stop and point out mistakes from the original plan. He didn't seem to hide the reasons for those mistakes or name the people who made them. Shippou also didn't hide the fact that those people no longer worked at RTL.

They continued walking.

"So, I know I've mentioned to you guys a couple times that Inuyasha has rules about his house. I, for one, think they are completely ridiculous; but," he sighed, "if you follow them you won't get fired."

"Why would we get fired for not obeying a single rule?" Sango asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Shippou rolled his eyes, "I know it's dumb, Sango. But, Inuyasha has been all over the people who broke his rules. He has even accused me a couple of times of doing it. Thankfully Kouga's been around and he's been able to…" Shippou wanted to say _fight with him_ but he worried the impression that would leave on the girls, so he instead he said, "…talk with him about it. So, I'm still here."

"So, you've seen him then?" Kagome asked.

Shippou snorted, "Seen him, talked to him, wanted to punch him. He makes his presence known when he's in the yard. He's taken to the pool house lately because it's been so hot. If you're ever in that area around the afternoon, you'll be likely to see him."

Kagome felt her stomach flip with interest. She desperately wanted to know what this Inuyasha person looked like.

She felt certain that maybe if she saw him the stories would make sense. Her eyes would take him in and she'd go, 'Of course! I know about Inuyasha.'

Sango had often told Kagome she lived somewhat under a rock, and Kagome didn't exactly disagree. After her conversation with Shippou and Sango, Kagome couldn't believe that she had been so oblivious to an event that shook the history of her country. Yes, Kagome wasn't really one for the news. She never read a newspaper, never followed any big newscasters on social media. It wasn't that Kagome didn't believe it was important to know what was happening in the world, it was just that she never really put energy into seeking out that information.

If Sango's timeline was correct, Kagome would have still been pursuing her undergraduate degree when the incident with the Band of Seven and Inuyasha happened. Knowing that, Kagome wasn't completely surprised that the event didn't sound familiar; Kagome had obsessively poured herself into her education.

Becoming a teacher was the best thing to have happened to Kagome. She asserted her independence from her family, becoming the first Higurashi to make something of herself outside of the shrine. She even started to become more familiar with the outside world; she usually heard about what was happening in the world through the school, when a bunch of the teachers would gather for lunch.

Kagome knew she wanted to be a teacher ever since she was in high school. Teachers and family constantly told her she had the personality for working with children, and she liked the idea of being able to have such a monumental effect on someone's life.

Kagome sighed over the thought. She felt like her career had taken a step backwards.

Kagome accepted that she had always been somewhat obsessive with ensuring her life was on track—as the eldest Higurashi child, she had a lot of responsibility on her shoulders. It should have been her job to take over the maintenance of their Shinto shrine when her grandfather eventually passed; however, Kagome had made it clear to her mother that she had other dreams for herself and mentioned her plans of attending university, then teacher's college. The family had been cautious of first accepting Kagome's plans to leave the family home; however, Kagome demonstrated early on that she was going to be successful. She had high standards for herself. She never got into trouble. She wanted to prove to her family that she was making something of herself and that's why she would leave the shrine maintenance to Souta.

Kagome's eyes trailed up the side of the house and rested on a window. Someone had opened the pane slightly and Kagome could see white curtains twirling behind it. The view drew her mind back to her curiosities about Inuyasha.

Having left her bag with her phone in the truck's back seat, she hadn't been able to complete a brief Internet search about Inuyasha. This was something she fully planned to do when she got home.

"Anway," Shippou continued, leading the girls past the large, cloth canopy covered sitting area at the back of the house. "A lot of his rules are pretty stupid, but they're not complicated. Don't bring or leave garbage on his property. Don't be in the front yard unless it's for work. Never be by yourself; always have a buddy with you. You can't use the restrooms in the house. Don't talk to the staff—"

"—How are we supposed to remember all these!?" Sango interrupted, her eyes wide with concern and confusion.

Shippou laughed, "You and Kagome won't be by yourselves for the first little while, so we'll remind you. Either me or Kouga will be around so if you have any concerns, we'll be there."

"We can't use the bathroom?" Kagome squeaked, her eyes wide. "But what if I—"

Her question was interrupted by Shippou's laugh. "You may have missed it, but there's a portable bathroom just outside the gates. We take breaks pretty frequently and we have an hour for lunch usually, so there's always opportunities."

"And why can't we talk to the staff?"

Shippou turned to face Sango, "Inuyasha doesn't want them distracted. Plus," he smirked, "The only person who ever really comes around is Miroku, Inuyasha's personal assistant, and I doubt very much you'll want to talk to him."

"Why? What's wrong with him?" Sango asked.

Shippou smirked again, but didn't say anything. Sango and Kagome exchanged confused glances.

After that, Shippou introduced Kagome and Sango to the blank slate upon which they were going to design and build a new garden. The west side of the property felt cooler as the girls were masked in the house's shadow this early on. Despite the shade, Kagome felt herself dizzying when she bent over too quickly or stood up too fast. Shippou had offered her some water and she accepted it gratefully.

Eventually Kouga made his way over and Shippou left to go find Ayame. Kouga had been pretty curt with Shippou to "hustle his ass," as Ayame was currently going against Inuyasha's rules by being by herself.

"It's an accountability thing," Kouga had offered when he humourously heard Sango say "what the fuck?" to Kagome. "In his _opinion_ ," Kouga said with a roll of his eyes, "people are less likely to steal something if they have someone else around to keep them accountable."

"Unless _both_ people want to pilfer his stuff," Sango said with an unamused raised eyebrow. Kouga just laughed and opened his binder.

Kouga spent the next little while outlining the gardenscape that was now Kagome and Sango's responsibility.

Kagome thought the plans were simple enough. Kouga's work was very detailed, containing descriptions, notes in the margins, and pictures of what was expected. In a different coloured pen, he had also identified the tools that would be best for the job, the process the girls should follow, and the expected duration for the completion of the project.

The morning led into lunchtime, where everyone gathered in the truck to eat in silence. Kagome was sweaty and already tired, and she couldn't believe how well-put-together Sango still looked. Remembering the way Kouga looked at her, Kagome felt like her early morning appeal was beginning to melt away with her sweat and fatigue.

She sighed and dismissed the thought by thinking, _Oh well_ , _I'm not here for a boyfriend anyway._

The afternoon following lunch had been even hotter and tedious.

Kouga had Kagome and Sango start to build the raised beds for the tiered garden, periodically calling them over to show them how he was tilling and searching for clods in the soil. Kagome felt flustered with information, and she kept gripping the material of her shirt and fanning it outwards to try and circulate the air under her t-shirt. Kagome was sweating profusely.

Kouga was very attentive to Kagome. She didn't fail to notice that he seemed to spend more time explaining to her than he did Sango. He would ask her how she was feeling, offer her water before Sango, and when she was on her knees crouched over Kouga's binder to examine the plan, she could feel his eyes on her.

Kagome would even swear that he had winked at her a couple of times.

When the girls would go back to work on building the tiered portion of the flowerbed, Kagome would ask Sango if she noticed Kouga's behaviour. Sango just smirked and said that Kagome should ignore it.

The day grew hotter and the cicadas chirping became so loud that Kagome sometimes felt she had to shout over to Kouga to ensure he heard her. Kagome felt frustrated with the plans, having never built something from scratch before in her life, and she often had to stop what she was doing to compare her work to the plan.

And she was _so_ sweaty.

Kagome felt her head lighten a few times as she stood up from her crouched position. Frequently, Kagome would try to adjust her body, hoping to alter where the sun was hitting her. Her back was slick with sweat from the sun beating down on her hunched over form.

One time when Kagome stood, her footing faltered a bit and she fell into Kouga's side. He was quick to catch her, placing his one hand on the small of Kagome's back and gripping her bicep with his other. Kagome felt her cheeks flush but she allowed the physical assistance, despite wanting to cower with shame since he would be able to feel how sweaty her back was and probably smell the dirt and perspiration on her skin. Helping her into the shade, Kouga sat her down and offered her a cup of water, telling her to take it easy and rest for a few minutes.

Kagome felt badly for how she was handling herself on her first day. Sango seemed fine. But then again, Sango was used to working hard and Kagome was used to spending her summers in the air-conditioned comfort of her home.

Sango was concerned for her friend. As Kagome sat in the shade and sipped on her water, Sango was distracted. Kagome had drank most of the water in the cooler and Kouga said he would take the trip to the truck to refill it. He told Sango not to work herself too hard and she said she felt fine.

Kagome felt mesmerized watching Kouga's brown ponytail swing back and forth as he dashed away to the truck. Kagome marveled at his speed and then downed the rest of her water.

As Sango continued nailing the boards of the raised bed together, she kept glancing over at her friend. In the absence of attention to her work, Sango hit her thumb with the hammer and gave a small shriek.

Kagome jumped at the sound and turned to see Sango gripping her thumb in her other hand, nursing the wound close to her chest. Concern for Sango the only thing on her mind, Kagome dropped the plastic water cup and shot straight up. She immediately dizzied, her eyesight blackened, and her head felt light. Then she felt herself falling.

Kagome heard her name leave Sango's lips.

Before blackness consumed her, Kagome swore she saw a man with black hair pulled into a small ponytail running towards them from the back of the house.


	4. Patio Furniture

_**Author's Note**_

Can't…stop…writing. I think it's love.

* * *

 **Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Patio Furniture_

* * *

Sango was by Kagome's side before her friend toppled over unconscious into a small pile of dirt Kouga had gathered.

"Kagome!" Sango shouted.

Kneeling down and being mindful of her pulsing thumb, Sango wrapped her arm under Kagome's neck and pulled her onto Sango's lap. Sango could see that her thumb was already beginning to discolour from the hammer's blow. She felt so stupid for allowing such a minor but annoying injury, and on her first day of the job even. But turning her eyes to her friend's face, she quickly cast that thought aside. Her brow felt tight with worry.

Even though she suspected that Kagome fainted because of heat exhaustion, Sango felt guilty. She should have paid more attention to her friend. Despite Kagome's constant assurances, Sango should have known better. Kagome wasn't as hard or rough as she tried to let on, and from years of knowing Kagome, this wasn't the first time Sango had to look after Kagome after she pushed herself too hard.

Kagome knew that she wasn't sporty, or athletic, or overly strong, or coordinated. She was a bookworm who tended to spend most of her time indoors. But, even though she wasn't prone to taking risks, Kagome was terribly stubborn, and she would try to mask her innate gentleness sometimes. Being friends with Sango, Kagome _wanted_ to try new things, explore beyond her comfort zone.

Sango was amused at the tasks that Kagome would take on; however, she felt proud of her friend for her determination to keep up and prove herself. Sango smiled in memory of those few times when Kagome showed up to Sango's kickboxing classes. She was always pushing herself, trying to prove that she could persevere and overcome her own barriers and limits. A few classes in, and seeming to like it, Kagome had eventually stopped going after she accidentally kicked one of the regular's in the back and felt too ashamed to attend any more sessions.

Knowing how sensitive Kagome could be, Sango felt guilty that she didn't see the signs this time. She should have noticed that Kagome was quickly approaching, and then surpassed, her limit.

Kagome's bangs were streaked and matted with sweat. Her skin felt warm to the touch. With one arm around Kagome's neck and the other wrapped protectively around Kagome's arm, Sango tried to gently rock Kagome awake.

"Is everything alright, miss? I thought I heard a scream."

With Kagome's weight on Sango's thighs, she tried to turn as much as she could in response to the masculine voice behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, Sango saw a tall black-haired man approach her.

"It's my friend," Sango said, her eyes turning back to Kagome, "I think she fainted from the heat. My boss just left to get more water and she's completely out cold."

Sango gulped back a mouthful of saliva when the man crouched down in front of her. For a moment, she was speechless. He wore a tight white button-up shirt tucked into khaki shorts and boating shoes. His sleeves were rolled over his muscular forearms and Sango's eyes immediately noticed the veins that pulsed and danced as he moved his arms. Just from this brief examination of him, Sango could tell he was in very good shape.

"Has she had much water today? Has she eaten? It is a scorcher out here."

Feeling her face begin to warm from the man's proximity, Sango diverted her eyes downwards.

"She's had some. Honestly, I'm not even too sure how much water she's had. In the past hour, she's had a bit because she said she was getting light-headed, but I don't know. Gosh, she's never fainted before."

"It's quite alright," the man said, his eyes still down-turned towards Kagome. "This isn't the first time I've encountered a fainted woman." Standing to his feet he said, "Let's bring her over to the sitting area around the back of the house. The shade and the fan might be just what she needs to cool down."

Before Sango could agree or disagree, the man scooped Kagome off Sango's lap and lifted her up as if she weighed no more than a sack of potatoes. Sango scrambled to her feet and was quick to follow the man around the house to the canopied area with the plush cushioned wicker chairs.

Up close, the patio was gorgeous. The wicker was the colour of rich mahogany and the cushions were cream-coloured and looked like they would swallow you whole. The furniture was arranged in a large circle, a round glass table with iron legs in the middle. There was a ceiling fan in the centre of the canopy above that instantly cooled Sango the moment she stood underneath it. Sango smiled when noticing that the fan's blades were shaped like large palm leaves.

Hearing the man grunt quietly, Sango turned to watch him lay Kagome down on the chaise seat. He sat himself down on the glass table-top surrounded by the lavish furniture. This was the first opportunity Sango had to take in the full sight of him.

 _Jesus Christ_ , Sango first thought, not able to take her eyes off him. Then, her eyes absorbing his presence, head to toe, she thought, _He's actually delicious._

His jaw was firm and his eyes were wide amethyst orbs, piercing and emotive. His physique was not 'in your face' beefy; however, he was, as Sango would have put it, "ripped." His biceps carved themselves out of his shirt, and his neck was thick and tanned. She could make out part of his collarbone in the gaps of his shirt and she felt little shame in objectifying him ever so slightly. He seemed like the kind of man who wanted to look good, and he carried himself with an air that suggested he knew he looked good. He also looked like the kind of man with enough charisma to woo any woman into bed.

Sango smiled at the thought. She had never been one for a man who tried to charm her into sleeping with him. However, she did like her men strong, muscular, and able to give her a challenge.

Sango blushed slightly when he caught her eye. She worried he could tell from the look on her face what she had been thinking. When he turned his sights on her, though, it felt as if someone had pointed a spotlight in her direction.

"Let me go grab a damp cloth for her forehead," he said, pulling his hand away from Kagome's forehead. "She still feels quite warm. Please rest, miss. I'll be just a moment."

Then he got up and disappeared through a set of French glass doors a few feet away.

Sango moved over to where Kagome was laying down. She adjusted herself so she could sit down onto the chaise beside Kagome's body.

"Kagome?"

Sango gently shook Kagome's arm, hoping her friend would snap out of it. She felt afraid of what Kouga would say when he returned. Sango couldn't believe it was only mid-afternoon and she still had a few hours left in this day. This was the longest first day on the job ever.

A small part of her wished that Kagome hadn't been so rash to pick up this job. Sango didn't mind dipping into her savings while she had job searched for something in her field. However, Sango also wished that she hadn't said yes to this job as quickly as she had. She didn't mean to veer her future off course by taking something on that was so unrelated to her education. Sango sighed at the realization that she had the tendency to bend over backwards for her best friend. When Kagome seemed so excited about this job opportunity, Sango responded with equal parts enthusiasm.

That, and there was also the wine to blame.

"Who the fuck are you? And what are you doin' on my property?"

Sango jumped at the course voice and turned her head to look over her shoulder. Standing opposite her on the deck was a furrowed brow, intense golden eyes, and dripping wet silver-coloured hair draped over a brawny shoulder. The man to whom the uncouth voice belonged was tall, muscular, and shirtless with a towel wrapped around his waist. Sango struggled to find her voice as she watched water droplets dribble down his painfully well-defined pectorals.

"I—uh—I'm Sango. I'm one of the landscapers you hired for the tiered garden. Um—" Sango swallowed and turned her eyes away from him, feeling anxious. She really wished that the black-haired man hadn't been so inviting before leaving so quickly. "My coworker—my friend—fainted from heat exhaustion, and that guy with the black hair? I'm sorry, I don't know his name, he uh—"

"Inuyasha! I see you've met our guests."

Sango turned her head to watch the attractive black-haired man reappear through the French doors with a bottle of water and a small white towel.

"What the hell are you doing, Miroku? I'm not paying you to play house, you know."

Sango's eyes slowly trailed back to the half-naked man who had been identified as Inuyasha. Her stomach flipped with uneasiness. Then she turned her gaze back towards the man who Inuyasha called Miroku.

Sango inwardly rolled her eyes and sighed. Even his name was sexy.

"You surely can't expect us to just ignore an injured woman on your property, Inuyasha. This woman needs shade, water, and rest until she awakens," Miroku chided, walking towards Kagome. With delicate fingers, he brushed back Kagome's bangs to place the wetted cloth on her forehead.

"Yeah, well—be quick about it, alright? Get her on her feet then get her back to work."

With that, Inuyasha disappeared through the glass doors, and Sango was left in stunned silence.

Until Inuyasha stuck his head back through the patio door.

"Oh—and tell Myoga to get his fucking ass in gear and fix the god damned heater in the pool. It's a million fucking degrees outside. How am I supposed to cool off when the pool is hotter than the god damned hot tub!?"

Then he was really gone.

Sango sat in introspective silence as Miroku pulled a phone from his pants' pocket and began typing away on the keypad.

Sango couldn't believe she met Inuyasha.

She couldn't believe _that_ was Inuyasha.

She had seen pictures of him before; but, after meeting him in person, she hadn't expected him to look so young. She also didn't expect him to be so rude. After this initial meeting, she wasn't really sure what to expect from this job. Hearing him cursing about this Myoga person made Shippou's and Kouga's earlier comments seem plausible. She understood why they called Inuyasha a dick. He didn't leave nearly as good of a first impression as Miroku.

"Apologies about him," Miroku said turning his attention back towards Sango and dropping his phone into the breast pocket of his shirt. "He's not used to having company. And should I say such _beautiful_ company."

Sango snorted at his flattery and adjusted the cloth on Kagome's forehead.

"May I ask your name?" he said, leaning forward from his perch across from Sango.

"It's Sango."

"..Sa—Sango?"

Kagome's voice was a welcome one and Sango quickly turned and grabbed her friend's hand.

"Hey, you're awake! How are you feeling, Kagome? You fainted."

"I did?"

Sango nodded, "Miroku here came to your aid and brought you a cool cloth and somewhere shady to rest for a few minutes. Are you able to sit up?"

"Kago _me_!"

Both girls and Miroku turned to see Kouga running over with a large cooler hanging off his shoulder. He sprinted the last few steps before dropping the cooler to his feet and puffing his chest.

"What's going on here?" Kouga demanded, "What happened to Kagome?"

"She's fine, Kouga," Sango called, getting to her feet. "I think she was just a little too enthusiastic today and overdid it a bit. She'll be fine, though."

Kouga nodded, relief on his face, and then turned a sceptical eye towards Miroku.

"And who are you?"

"Ah," Miroku said, rubbing his wet hand on the leg of his pants and then extending it towards Kouga. "We've spoken on the phone previously. I'm Miroku Houshi, personal assistant to Inuyasha. You must be Kouga, the owner of RT Landscaping. Pleasure."

"Yeah, that's me," Kouga responded, staring distrustfully at Miroku's outstretched hand before accepting it.

"Well, I assure you— _Kagome your name is_?" Kagome nodded, "—Kagome here is just fine. I was just opening the patio door for some air circulation when I heard a woman's scream. Fortunately, everyone seems to be in adequate health."

Kagome tried to sit up and Sango helped.

"Why don't we call it a day today, Kagome?" Kouga offered, taking over for Sango to help the girl to her feet. "I think an air-conditioned truck is just what you need right now. Whadduya think?"

Kagome just nodded then turned to look over her shoulder as Kouga led her away.

"I'm sorry to have burdened you, Miroku. But, thank you for helping me," she called, the bridge of her nose and cheeks a bright pink from embarrassment.

Miroku waved away the apology and the gratitude and wished Kagome a good day.

Once Kagome and Kouga were gone from his sights, he turned to feast his eyes on Sango.

And feast they did.

She was a vision. He could clearly make out the muscles in her legs from the tights she wore like a second skin. He couldn't subtly angle himself in a way to be able to appreciate her from a rear view; however, he was sure from the tone of her legs that a certain area would be in just as miraculous shape. Her skin was somewhat flushed from the weather and likely the worry for her friend; however, her makeup was light and natural, and her long brown hair gave him goose-bumps that only rivalled the lump in his throat developing when he observed her other…assets.

"Thank you for your help," Sango said, turning her attention back to Miroku. With a slight bow of her head she said, "I really appreciate you taking your time to help us. I apologize for any burden we may have caused you."

"Oh, nonsense, Sango, nonsense," he cooed, waving his hand again with a closed-eye smile. "I'm happy to help. Is there anything else I could do for you? A glass of lemonade, perhaps? My phone number?"

Sango laughed awkwardly, but shook her head and said that she should go check on Kagome and then get back to work.

"It was nice meeting you, Miroku."

"It was a pleasure, Sango," he responded.

As he watched her walk away, he bid unspoken thanks to whatever godly influence caused Sango to disobey the rules and wear yoga pants. His eyes soaked into the voluptuous and firm bottom until she was no longer in his sights. He was pleased, excited even, that Sango would be working on the property.

Inuyasha's desire to suck the fun out of all things Miroku enjoyed led to that stupid rule about the yoga pants. Miroku did enjoy the curvature of the young ladies on the property, he wouldn't deny that. However, when Inuyasha caught Miroku ogling the workers when he should have been working, Inuyasha imposed the rule that yoga pants were no longer permitted; he had been keen to ensure Kouga enforced the rule.

Miroku sighed, walking back into the house. The jeans that those lovely creatures wore to fuss around in the dirt just didn't do them justice. It wasn't fair, he thought, that Inuyasha should punish him for being so appreciative of the female figure.

"Yo, Miroku."

Miroku looked up from his thoughts to see Inuyasha entering the sunroom where Miroku stood.

"What can I do for you, my liege?"

"Oh, can it," Inuyasha replied with a sneer, "Did the girls go?"

"Unfortunately," Miroku sighed, resting a hand on his heart. "I think, because of the heat, Kouga decided to call it a day earlier than usual. I'm sure he'll make up the hours when it's cooler, though. I'll make a note of it."

"Yeah, well, he better," Inuyasha grumbled. "That gardens not gonna build itself."

The two men stood in silence for a few seconds before Miroku chose to break it.

"I don't suppose you happened to get a good look at Kagome?"

"Ka— _who_?"

Miroku rolled his eyes, "Ka _gome_. The girl who fainted."

"Feh, not really. Why would I?"

"At first, I thought she was Kikyou."

Inuyasha barked out a laugh, "Yeah, right! Like she'd leave France to come here. That ship has sailed, Miroku."

"Her face bore somewhat of a resemblance, though. Didn't you think?"

"I didn't get a good enough look at her to notice," Inuyasha commented absentmindedly, narrowing his eyes to watch one of his maids take a basket full of laundry to hang up outside. She scurried away from his scrutiny, gripping the basket tighter.

"Well, perhaps you should the next time she's working. She's quite lovely. Similar face-shape to Kikyou, but different features. A gentler loveliness, in my humble opinion."

"Yeah, well, I didn't ask for your opinion," Inuyasha grumbled. "Did you tell Myoga about the pool?"

Miroku sighed, "Yes, he should be in the pool house now, if not very soon."

"Good," Inuyasha mumbled, peering outside distractedly.

Miroku's phone dinged and he pulled the device out of his pocket. "Oh yes, don't forget that we need to leave at six o'clock in order to make it to your brother's interview."

Inuyasha groaned and rolled his eyes, "Why the fuck do I have to go to that thing? It's about _Sesshoumaru_."

Miroku returned Inuyasha's grumbling with a patient smile.

"Ever since the band—" Miroku began, but quickly cleared his throat and changed his wording due to the look he received from Inuyasha. "—Any time your brother has a media appearance there tends to be questions about you. It's best if you're there to circumvent those questions to ensure nothing that should stay _off_ the record, ends up _on_ the record."

Inuyasha sighed, "And you can't just go for me? You're my PA, isn't that the sorta shit I pay you to do?"

"It's a good idea to remind the people that you're around, Inuyasha," Miroku articulated, "You don't want to just disappear from the fame, do you? You still have fans, you know. It's good publicity."

Inuyasha didn't like where this conversation was going and headed for the patio door to end it. Miroku took the hint and nodded his head at his employer before walking away.

Sitting down on the loveseat, tossing his feet up onto the cushions, Inuyasha reached for the ceiling fan's remote to increase its oscillation. It really was too fucking hot, and his typical swim did nothing for him. He swore that if Myoga didn't get his ass in gear and do the maintenance work he was hired for, Inuyasha was gonna—

His train of thought was interrupted when his eyes fell upon the chaise where that girl—Kagome, apparently—had lain.

He did notice that she was _sort of_ nice to look at; however, he didn't like the fact that a girl _he_ was paying to work was taking a nap on his $8200 patio chair.

He was glad, though, Miroku had made that comment about her similarity to Kikyo. His quick glance of the girl had made him question if he knew her; she had looked so familiar. But the resemblance was what that was. She could have been taken for a cousin of his ex-girlfriend's, but the similarity wasn't great enough for them to be mistaken for twins.

Inuyasha sighed and sunk lower into the cushions, crossing his feet at the ankles. He still had a couple hours before he needed to get ready to crash Sesshoumaru's interview, and a nap sounded like a great idea.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

Inuyasha appears! What a shame that he saw Kagome but Kagome didn't see him. Oh, well—don't you worry! There are lots of InuKag moments ahead! :D

I'd love to know your thoughts/feelings/premonitions! Please review!


	5. Release

_**Author's Note**_

* * *

Thank you, friends! I'm so thrilled you're liking the story thus far. I have a really great pace going where I seem to be writing a chapter and a half at one time. Things are really slow at work right now so it makes for great day-dreaming about the chapters to come.

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Release_

* * *

"Pizza's here!"

"Oh, thank god, I'm _starving_!"

In her slipper-covered feet, Sango scurried to the door with her wallet clutched under her arm. Kagome remained seated on Sango's futon, turning her attention back to the television once Sango disappeared from the room. Kagome's bare legs were crossed, her feet tucked underneath her, and she swirled the contents of her wine glass, pensively.

 _My first day of work and I fainted like an idiot_ , she thought. _Who_ does _that?! God, I can't believe myself sometimes…_

Despite Sango's assurances that it wasn't as big of a deal as Kagome made it out to be, Kagome still felt humiliated. Leave it to Kagome Higurashi to experience heat exhaustion on her first day on the job and pass out because of it.

She was grateful for how well Kouga had handled the situation. Her boss could have been totally unforgiving, but he was the opposite of that. Both he and Shippou, actually, had been really doting and receptive to her. Kouga sat Kagome in the front seat of the truck and turned the AC on full blast, aiming the vents at her. Kagome had closed her eyes—more out of humility than anything else—and let the cool air drift over her balmy skin.

"What else do you need, Kagome? I have some carrot sticks left over from lunch if you're hungry."

Kagome laughed and shook her head, her cheeks still slightly flushed, "That's really nice of you, Kouga, but no, I'm okay. Just sitting here is fantastic."

Kouga nodded.

The two of them then sat in the quiet until Shippou came bounding over, Sango a few feet behind him.

"Kagome! Sango told me you _fainted_. Holy, I've never seen someone faint before. Are you hurt? Are you okay? Is there anything I can do to help?"

Kagome wanted to smack her hand against her face in humiliation, but she just offered Shippou a forced and awkward smile.

"No, no, Shippou, I'm just fine."

"Sango said it was heat exhaustion? You should have taken it easier! You were just building a garden after all."

Kagome's cheeks warmed and she turned to stare at the water bottle in her hands. She didn't appreciate Shippou's reminder how _delicate_ she was. She had sincerely thought she could handle this job. She didn't think she was pushing herself too far. Yeah, she had been getting tired, but she could work through it. _Sango_ didn't faint. _Sango_ didn't need to be doted on. Kagome wished she could, for once, be like her friend and not need others to help her. Kagome sometimes envied Sango for her independence, and she often blamed her lack of it on growing up in a home where she was raised, and somewhat coddled, to be dependent on family. She loved her family dearly; however, she just wished that, while growing up, Kagome had been given more opportunities to take chances, get her hands dirty, and be independent.

"Where's Ayame?" Kouga asked, his eyes directing the question to Shippou. "Did you leave her by herself? 'Cause I swear to God, Shippou, I will—"

"I'm right here, Kouga. God, you didn't even see me? That's rude…"

Kouga turned to look past Kagome out the passenger side window. Ayame stood right in front of the window with her hands on her hips and her dark eyes glowering at Kouga. She had rolled her shirtsleeves up to her shoulders and knotted the portion of the shirt that would have covered her stomach just above her belly button. She had a red bandanna tied around her hair to keep the sweat out of her eyes. Her muscles weren't prominent, but Kagome could tell that Ayame was in good shape. Allowing herself a a minute to wallow in self-pity, Kagome turned her eyes away from Ayame; the way Ayame looked and presented herself made Kagome feel like she really didn't belong in this industry.

"We're calling 'er quits early today, folks," Kouga called, stepping out of the truck and slamming it behind him. "Go check your stations and ensure there's no trash and no messes. You know how the doucheba—um, I mean, you know how _he_ can be. Put everything back in the trunk where it belongs," he shouted to the backs of both Shippou and Ayame who ran back through the iron rod gates.

Sango walked around to the trunk to drop her arm-full of items into the back. She had planned ahead. The cooler was latched over her one shoulder and the tool-belt containing Kouga's instruments was slung over her other. She clutched his binder and some empty water bottles in her arms.

"Well, look at you!" Kouga marveled, taking the items from Sango. "I appreciate your efficiency Sango. It's a good trait to see in a worker. Keep it up!"

Sango nodded her thanks and then climbed into the truck in the seat behind Kagome. Sango sat forward and reached her arms over Kagome's shoulders to give her a limp hug. Sango could tell from the look on Kagome's face that she felt badly for herself after hearing Kouga praise Sango. Kagome patted Sango's arms appreciatively.

When Shippou and Ayame returned with their work tools, Ayame begrudgingly and indignantly stared Kagome down. Shippou climbed into the back beside Sango. Kouga climbed into the driver's seat. And Ayame just stared at Kagome. The look on her face said, clear as day, _what the fuck are you doing in the front seat with Kouga?_

Kagome slunk down in her chair to try and make her body feel smaller.

"What the hell are you doing, Ayame?" Kouga shouted, adjusting the rear-view mirror. "Get your ass in the truck!"

Kagome could sense Ayame stomping around the truck to open the door on Kouga's side and toss herself in behind the driver's seat. Kagome could feel Ayame stewing from the back seat. Kagome intentionally angled her face to look out the window. She could feel the heat from Ayame's eyes on the side of her face and it made Kagome uncomfortable.

The drive back had been silent; however, Kagome occasionally noticed Kouga's glances from her peripherals. She had appreciated his attentiveness; however, it had gotten to the point where she had worked an eight and a half hour day and just wanted to go home. She didn't want to be stared at anymore.

When they arrived back at RTL headquarters, everyone said their goodbyes to each other and went their separate ways.

Kagome couldn't believe that she was going to do this all again in less than twelve hours.

While Kagome moped about the upcoming day two of the job, Sango invited Kagome over for pizza delivery—they both said _fuck that_ to cooking after the day they'd had. Kagome agreed; pizza sounded great. Sango took Kagome's keys from her purse and made her friend ride shotgun. Having fainted, Sango told Kagome she didn't want her driving. Kagome felt so tired she didn't even try to put up a fight. She didn't think she had the level of consciousness to drive anyway, so she happily allowed Sango to drive.

Back at Sango's apartment, Kagome showered, changed into a pair of her friend's pajama shorts and an oversized hoodie—Sango kept her apartment AC just above freezing—and immediately stormed the fridge for a bottle of white wine.

Sango ordered the pizza, and the girls crashed themselves down onto the futon. Sango poured their glasses and then toasted Kagome on their first day on the job. Not wanting to be a killjoy, Kagome kept her thoughts about her first day of work to herself and clinked Sango's glass before taking a sip.

Once Sango returned with the large double cheese pizza and a side of garlic cheese bread, Sango told Kagome all about the interaction with Miroku and Inuyasha.

"I don't know what I feel worse about," Kagome said in between bites. "I'm honestly mortified about facing everyone tomorrow, but the fact that this random guy _carried_ me? Jesus, that's embarrassing."

Sango laughed and stuffed the last bit of crust from her slice into her mouth. "You're really making it sound worse than it was, Kagome. He was really nice about it. Although..." Sango stopped to mull it over, "he was kinda pervy..."

Kagome laughed at the comment and then took a sip of wine.

"I don't think I am making it sound worse though, Sango," Kagome retorted, feeling her heart begin to beat faster as she got herself worked up. "It was the first day of work, the first day to leave an impression identifying what kinda worker I am, and I demonstrate that I'm a little weakling who can't handle a bit of sun. Dammit…" Kagome cursed, leaning forward to grab another slice, "Maybe this job was a bad idea."

Cheerful, bubbly Kagome was always an optimist. Sango knew this kind of self-pitying behaviour was very unlike Kagome, but she knew her friend would come around. Sango knew that everyone needed to blow a little steam once in a while. Not even Kagome Higurashi could be all sunshine and rainbows _all_ the time.

Kagome's comment on her mind, Sango knew she had thought the same thing earlier, but she genuinely felt badly for her friend. She wanted to make her feel better.

"I've never fainted at a job before," Sango offered, "but I have embarrassed myself before." She sighed, "It was a _lot_ worse than what happened to you. I ripped my pants once during one of my classes. It was mostly guys there too. Right in the crotch." She laughed and covered her eyes with her hand, "Now _t_ _hat_ was mortifying. I didn't even wear underwear that day."

Kagome covered her mouth as she laughed to prevent pieces of pizza from flying out everywhere.

"I know what it's like to embarrass yourself at work, Kagome. But, we'll go back for round two tomorrow and you'll be ready to face another day, stronger than you were today. You have an advantage; you know what to expect now. Everything will be fine. Trust me."

Kagome smiled at her friend, "You really showed your vagina to your class?"

"Oh, shut up!" Sango cried, moving her leg to pretend to kick Kagome. "I was just trying to make you feel better. I just got over the trauma of all that last year."

Kagome laughed then patted Sango's leg affectionately, "Well, thank you. I do feel better about it."

The girls sat quietly for a couple of minutes while Sango held her pizza with one hand and flipped through TV stations with the other.

"You really met Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, breaking the silence.

Sango knew it was only a matter of time before this came up. She peered at Kagome through the corner of her eye.

"Yep."

"He was rude, you said?"

"He was."

 _Click_ , went the remote.

 _Click_.

"But he was good looking?"

 _Click_.

"Very."

"Huh…What did he look like?"

"Tall, muscular, white kinda silverish hair. Gorgeous eyes."

 _Click._

"That does sound attractive." Kagome took a bite of pizza and tried to play it cool, almost indifferent. "And he was shirtless, you said?"

Sango turned to face her friend with an amused grin on her face. She pointed at Kagome with the remote control, "You Googled him, didn't you?"

Kagome turned to glimpse her phone on the arm of the futon and then offered Sango a guilty smile.

"I may have on the car ride home."

Sango laughed, "Then what are you testing me for! You saw pictures of the guy. You know how attractive he is! What, you jealous that you didn't get to see him without hsi shirt on?"

"Oh my god, _Sango_!" Kagome cried, smacking her friend in the arm. Sango merely laughed in response and took a sip of wine.

"At first when I typed in his name, I was really confused," Kagome continued. "There were two different guys who came up on the search."

"Ah," Sango said, swallowing her food, "That would be his brother, Sesshoumaru."

"Oh my god," Kagome cried with an incredulous look in her eye, "How do you know everything there is to know about this guy?"

Sango made a face and shrugged, "It's just common celebrity knowledge, Kagome. I'm blown away that you had to look up Inuyasha to know who he is. And Sesshoumaru? Seriously? He's like…the number one grossing model on the continent right now."

"I have no excuses," Kagome sighed, shaking her head and shrugging her shoulders, "I honestly have no idea how I've made it this far in my life without knowing any of this. I don't pay attention to the media, Sango. You know that."

"You never even look at the magazines in the grocery store when you're waiting in line?"

 _Click_.

Kagome shook her head, "I couldn't be bothered."

 _Click_.

"Well, you know, Kagom—oh _hey!_ Speak of the devils!"

Sango's intial train of thought disappeared when an image on the TV screen caught her eye. What she was going to say to Kagome was stolen from her lips by the sight of the Taisho brothers standing before them on the TV.

"What the _hell_?" Kagome cried, leaning forward with wide eyes to grab her wine.

"Of _course_!" Sango shouted enthusiastically. "It's the last Monday of the month! The TV special _Mondays with Molly_ is on."

"Mondays with Molly?" Kagome questioned.

Sango nodded, inching forward on the futon, "It's one of the best TV talk shows you could possibly watch. Molly Woo sits down and interviews the who's-who of celebrities. I completely forgot it was on tonight! She must have the one of the Taisho brothers on tonight. This is so fan _tastic_.

"Oh, hey!" She said distractedly, pointing to the screen. A black-haired man in a dark blue suit followed behind the two silver-haired men. "That's Miroku!"

"The guy who _carried me_?"

"That's the one!"

Kagome groaned and rested her face in her hands. Somehow, the fact that the man was traditionally very handsome made her feel worse about the whole situation.

While the girls had been talking, Sango put the TV on mute. The beginning of the TV program had included close-up shots of the Taisho brothers walking into a modern-looking building and waving at the line-ups of fans, media personnel, and paparazzi who swarmed behind roped off areas along the walkway.

Anytime the camera lingered on Inuyasha, Kagome couldn't remove her eyes from the screen. She had to admit that he did look _a little_ familiar, but unfortunately, as she had hoped, seeing him didn't fill in the gaps; she still didn't know what had happened in the news with him and The Band of Seven outside of what Sango and Shippou had told her.

But thoughts of The Band of Seven and Inuyasha's history drifted far from her mind.

She couldn't take her eyes off _him._ She couldn't remember a time she saw a more attractive man.

He wore a red fitted suit the colour of a Bloody Caesar with a black shirt underneath unbuttoned to reveal a smooth tan chest. His white-grey hair was tied back into a loose ponytail. His teeth were perfect. His skin looked perfect. And his eyes…Kagome was floored. She had never seen eyes the colour of his before. The way they shimmered behind his cheeks when he smiled reminded Kagome of gold ore that's been smelted. An off-yellow goldish hue that glistened under direct light. That was the colour of his eyes. Kagome felt her heart leap into her throat. She didn't realize she was getting so worked up just at the sight of him.

She couldn't believe she had been passed out when he came by.

"Was he really rude, Sango? He looks so…nice," Kagome sighed with a tilted head.

Sango smiled at her friend, "He was kinda a dick, Kagome. Kouga hit the nail on the head. Plus," she laughed, "he _is_ on national television, so of course he's gonna look _nice._ He also hasn't opened his mouth yet," Sango pondered with a contemplative finger to her chin. "He was nice to look at earlier too…but then he opened his mouth and the asshole came out."

The opening credits came up with the face of a black-haired woman who Kagome assumed to be Molly. The title of the program then faded away to reveal Molly sitting on a white leather couch with Inuyasha and his brother opposite her.

Sesshoumaru looked nothing like his brother except for the same coloured hair and similar eyes. However, when Kagome tried to evaluate his appearance, she couldn't get past the word _brooding_. His eyes were cold and he held himself with an air that, to Kagome at least, screamed _pompous_. He was handsome as anything, she couldn't deny that, but to Kagome, personality was just as important as looks.

Personally, of the two brothers, she kinda preferred Inuyasha over the model brother.

 _Go figure_ , she thought.

"Turn it up, Sango. I want to hear what they're saying."

Sango did as requested as Molly was mid-question.

"—real surprise. When I thought I was going to be sitting down with _one_ of the Taisho brothers, it's a real treat to have gotten both of you. How did this come to happen, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha laughed then leaned back on the couch and crossed his leg over the other. "It wasn't planned, Molly. I can tell you that much. Sesshoumaru and I haven't seen each other outside of work in quite a few years—

"—I'm assuming, Inuyasha, that you're talking about the brief time that you yourself got into the modelling business?"

"Yes, that's right, and—"

"—And it was through this part of your career when you met Kikyou. Is that right?"

Kagome furrowed her eyebrows at the look appearing on Inuyasha's face. It wasn't quite discomfort, but she could tell he didn't like the fact that Molly had brought up that name.

"Well, we started dating then but—"

" _Right_! You two had known each other before your modelling stint. But it wasn't until Sesshoumaru took you under his label that you and Kikyou became official."

"Yes," he said somewhat withdrawn, "That's right."

"I must say, my daughter was devastated when news got out that you two broke up. The world wanted an engagement."

Inuyasha didn't respond to the comment.

"Anyway," Molly chirped, "Sesshoumaru. _Do_ tell me about what you're working on next."

Kagome couldn't take her eyes off Inuyasha. She could tell he was uncomfortable. For being on public TV he kept himself composed pretty well, but Kagome could read people. It was an innate gift of hers. She could read people, and Inuyasha wasn't as well as he tried to pretend he was.

"Who's Kikyou?" Kagome asked, slowly turning her eyes from the TV to face her friend.

"Oh no," Sango argued, "No, you _can't_ not know _Kikyou_. She is _the_ most famous female model in the world right now, Kagome. You can't be that withdrawn from the world!"

Sango grabbed her phone off the side table and typed Kikyou's name into the Internet search engine. Thousands of hits came up on Sango's browser, and she scrolled through several of them until she came across the picture from Kikyou's infamous photo shoot.

"Here! Tell me you haven't seen this before."

"Oh, I _have_ seen this before," Kagome cheered once Sango passed her the phone. "Where have I seen this before?"

Sango smirked, "That was the cover of The Band of Seven's last album, _Mount Hakurei_. It was the picture that launched Kikyou's modelling career."

"Wow," Kagome sighed, staring at the picture. "She's gorgeous."

"I see a bit of you in her actually, Kagome."

"What?" Kagome squawked with a laugh, pulling the phone closer to her face to inspect it. "I look nothing like this…"

"Not that one in particular, but if you look at some of her other stuff? The eyes and the hair are the biggest differences, but if you look at the face shape? And the nose? You guys could pass for sisters."

"Wow," Kagome sighed, "I couldn't ask for a nicer compliment than that." Both girls laughed.

Once Sango had her phone back, she browsed through her e-mail inbox while Kagome tuned back into Molly's interview with Inuyasha.

"So, Inuyasha, I'm dying to ask. It's been over ten years since it all happened. The band went to jail. Your name was cleared. A few years ago things didn't end well with Kikyou. Tell me, what have you been up to since? The camera and—I'm sure I can say—your fans have missed you."

Inuyasha seemed to take a second for a deep breath before speaking. "Honestly Molly, I've been focusing a lot on me. I took over the ownership of my dad's old house and the damn place was falling apart. So, I restored it. The inside has been completely remodelled, and I'm current in the process of updating the exterior of the house and the property. It's a big project, but it's really opened my eyes to how home restoration is such a rewarding endeavour."

"That's just wonderful. Now, Sesshoumaru. You _must_ tell me about—"

"Don't you just love how he doesn't give _us_ any credit?" Sango sneered. "I mean, _we're_ the ones doing the actual work to the property. You think he could have the decency to give a shout out to RTL or something."

Kagome smiled, "Us? We?" Kagome laughed, "We _did_ just start the job, Sango."

"Yeah, well. It's not right that he's taking credit for the work we're doing."

"Or the work that I _would have_ done if I didn't faint."

Sango rolled her eyes dramatically and smirked at her friend.

"Welcome back from our sponsor's messages," Molly beamed at the camera.

"So, Inuyasha. It's time for the question all of our viewers have been waiting for. I'm sure you've heard by now that three of the seven of your bandmates have been granted an early release from prison. It's breaking news that came as a shock to many of the public viewers. What do you have to say about that?"

Inuyasha sat quiet for a moment and Molly didn't interrupt him or pester him for an immediate answer. Kagome was hovering so close to the edge of her seat she was almost on the floor. She couldn't decipher the expression on his face. He looked concerned, angry, and genuinely alarmed.

The question that came out of his mouth though, caused Kagome and Sango to exchange a baffled glance.

"Do you know which three?"

The question took Molly aback and she put a hand to her ear where her earpiece was and flipped through the notes on her clipboard with the other hand.

After a slight and heavy pause, she said, "No, I'm afraid our source hasn't revealed the names of the three. May I ask why you'd want to know which ones will be on parole?"

Inuyasha turned his eyes away from the camera, "I was just curious."

Then, only moments later, he snapped out of whatever perplexity he held onto and covered his face with a disingenuous smile.

"But that's great news about their early release. I'm very glad to hear it."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

The story is really starting to build momentum. Can you feel it? I'm excited

Please review!


	6. Eye Contact

_**Author's Note**_

* * *

This chapter makes me giddy! :)

For those of you who have reviewed that you're looking forward to the InuKag parts of this story, this one's for you!

Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Eye Contact_

* * *

It felt even muggier than the day before; but Kagome was ready.

She had woken in the morning with a serious determination. Finishing a pot of coffee before leaving to pick up Sango, she had adorned an old pair of beige cargo pants she hadn't worn in years but kept because she felt they were the perfect "painting pants". Lighter than the pants she wore yesterday, she felt this was a better outfit to allow her body to breath. She wore her hair up in a high ponytail and decided against wearing any makeup. Kagome didn't want to worry about leaving smudges in her foundation or mascara when she rubbed the sweat away from her face. She packed her personal cooler full of ice chips, ice packs, solid frozen bottles of water, and vegetables to snack on throughout the day. Donning a white racer-back tank top and her RTL pale blue work shirt, Kagome rolled the sleeves up to her shoulders and tucked the trundle of cloth underneath the strap of her sports bra to keep the material in place.

Kagome put on her SPF 60 before stepping out the door and rested her sunglasses on top of her head.

Feeling confident, she decided there would never be a repeat of yesterday.

Kagome felt the similar lurch of her stomach when the truck slowed to a stop in front of Sengoku Manor's intimidating gates. Her mind trailed back to the TV show the night before—the first time she had seen Inuyasha. A part of her wanted to know what it would be like to meet him in person. She had heard about him through Shippou, Kouga, and Sango, and then she had seen him put on a guise while on national TV. Kagome wanted to make her own judgement. Once Kagome and the rest of Kouga's team piled out of the truck, the rod iron gates swung open, and Kagome wondered how she could intentionally find and introduce herself to Inuyasha.

Kagome threw her cooler over her arm, grabbed her and Sango's work binder from the trunk and headed down Sengoku Manor's treed driveway with Sango at her side.

Halfway up the driveway, Kagome was glad she decided to pin back her bangs from her forehead. With the back of her hand, she wiped at the mild amount of sweat building up on the bridge of her nose. The action reinforced her decision not to wear makeup. She felt ready to work hard.

Even though she didn't put much effort into trying to look good this morning—she wanted to be practical—she had still noticed Kouga's eyes lingering when she and Sango sat themselves down in the boardroom for the morning briefing. Kagome was more modest than Sango and wouldn't challenge the looks she received as her friend would; however, that didn't mean Kagome didn't like the masculine attention.

She had had a steady boyfriend through university, but the relationship didn't end up going anywhere and they parted mutually. Since then, Kagome had dated here and there, but it was never anything serious. Other than seeing men for two or three dates, Kagome could maybe recall one casual relationship that lasted a month. Other than that, Kagome had been so focused on getting her life together she didn't prioritize dating.

Men found her, though. Sango wasn't the kind of person who preferred staying at home, meaning many of Kagome's Friday or Saturday nights were spent in the company of cocktails and bass-heavy music. Some of the guys who approached Kagome were very nice. Some weren't.

Kagome had been born with an energy about her that drew people to her. Her teachers had found her charismatic, and her classmates had always flocked to her. Kagome wouldn't have considered herself popular, but she wasn't unpopular by any means. While she attended secondary and then post-secondary school, Higurashi was a well-known surname.

It had been a while since Kagome last had an intimate relationship with a man, and she knew it too. Kagome was painfully aware that her eyes lingered more than usual when she found an attractive man in a crowd. She sometimes even found herself growing more bold than usual when her eyes made contact with a pair of blue or brown eyes; she indulged herself in that flirtatious game adults seemed to play of seeing who would look away first.

Unfortunately, Kagome's unspoken need seemed to be secreting itself in her attentions and behaviours. Amusedly, she would slowly and more dramatically roll her hips when she walked, knowing Kouga was looking. That morning during the briefing, she allowed herself to meet his curious eye while he spoke. She offered him a small smile in return, a smile that said _I see you looking._

Kagome wasn't one to act on those playful exchanges. She was the kind of girl who enjoyed the chase more than anything else. Kagome wouldn't admit it, but she liked to be pursued. She almost craved it, and nine times out of ten, her casual relationships ended once she allowed herself to be caught and the thrill was over.

The morning air was thick as the two girls put down their things once they arrived at their workstation on the west side of the house. Kagome was grateful that their work would commence in the grand house's shadow; however, she knew it would be short lived.

Once Kagome opened Kouga's binder and she and Sango discussed the best approach to begin their work, they got to it. Kouga had told the girls he would stop by in the late morning to confer with the girls about their work, and Kagome wanted to make sure she put every bit of effort into proving that she could do this job. She wanted Kouga to know that Kagome Higurashi was a damn good worker.

As Kagome started taking the tools she needed from the tool-belt, she felt somewhat flustered in memory of how she had goaded Kouga's looks this morning. Knowing that he would be coming by in a few hours, Kagome rolled her eyes at herself. Flaunting her sexuality in her boss's general direction was a terrible idea.

Seeing Kagome somewhat lost to herself—a flush on her cheeks—Sango knowingly smirked, and opened her mouth to comment on Kouga's glances at Kagome. A fiercer blush rising up across Kagome's cheeks, she tried to deny noticing anything, but Sango knew better.

The morning saw the girls finish part one of their project. Sango continued tilling the soil as Kouga's plans instructed, and Kagome completed the first tier of the garden bed. The next step on the plan was to design the decorative border made of rocks that would encase the floral display. Shippou's words from the previous day reminding Kagome that Inuyasha did not permit the work truck on his property, the girls knew they had a long sweaty day ahead of them. They would have to grab the rocks from the truck's flatbed and manually carry them to their worksite.

As he had promised, Kouga came to inspect the work the girls had done thus far and commended them both, saying they kept to the plans very well. He escorted them back to the truck and Kagome watched her friend intentionally shift herself to allow Kagome to walk beside Kouga, rather than walk between them. Kagome narrowed her eyes at her friend, not wanting this behaviour between her and her boss to be encouraged. Sango responded to the look with a mischievous grin.

Despite the tedious work of walking the fifteen minutes to the truck, trailing an armful of rocks back to their garden, and then returning to the truck, Kagome actually preferred this work to the constant bending over from the day before.

Upon their second visit to the truck, the girls ran into Kouga, and he specifically asked Kagome how she was doing.

"I'm still feeling fine," she laughed. "But thanks for asking, Kouga."

"If you need anything Kagome," he said, unhooking a walkie-talkie from his belt, "please use this. General communication between the team is channel three, but if you need me exclusively, turn this knob here to channel two. 'Kay?"

Kagome took the radio from Kouga's hand—trying to ignore the looks she received from Sango—and blushed slightly at feeling his fingers graze hers. She knew it was wrong, but she rather liked the specialized attention she received from him. To her, it almost felt like being the teacher's favourite. Except, Kagome was mature enough to watch his eyes dip downwards to glimpse her breasts when they spoke, or feel his eyes on her backside as she walked away.

"It's so inappropriate," Kagome grunted as she and Sango headed back to their site with armfuls of rocks. "I mean, he's the boss for God's sake. He should know better. _I_ should know better!"

Sango chuckled and shifted the weight in her arms. "He's a guy, Kagome. And you're kind of a babe, so can you blame him?"

Kagome scoffed at the comment.

"Are you saying you don't like the attention?" Sango challenged raising a knowing eyebrow.

Kagome grunted as she dropped the rocks in her grasp onto the small pile she and Sango had started. "I didn't say that," she responded with a blush.

A sound above her head stole her attention and Kagome looked up. White curtains occasionally peaked outside of an opened window from the suction of the wind, and Kagome turned her sights away. Someone probably just opened a window to help with the airflow in the house.

"He's not awful looking…" Sango offered, her eyes curiously planted on her friend's face.

"Who is?"

Sango smiled. "Kouga."

Kagome laughed and shook her head. "Oh god, Sango, please don't encourage this. It's been too long since I've been with someone that I don't need the enticement. Besides, he's our _boss_. I'm _not_ gonna go there."

The girls turned around to walk back to the truck. Walking beside her friend, Sango smirked, focusing her sights on Kagome's last comment. "When was the last time you went on a date, Kagome?"

"Not recently," she laughed, putting a thoughtful hand to her chin. "A month maybe? Longer? I'm honestly unsure. I was so distracted when news got out that the school might be closing. And then the stress of being laid off? Putting effort into dealing with guys just seemed like the furthest thing from my mind."

"Well, you have to admit that Kouga's convenient at least."

Kagome laughed and gave her a friend a look that said ' _don't even go there.'_

Sango sniggered and brushed her hands off on her pants. "Okay, but seriously though," her eyes narrowed, "when was the last time you _slept_ with a guy?"

Kagome's eyes widened and she sighed, turning her eyes modestly away from her friend. "Definitely not recently," she shrugged with a slight laugh.

"Too distracted by the job loss?"

Kagome sighed, "It's not just that. I dunno. Being single means having to play games. I don't like starting from scratch every time. It's just so much hassle. Plus, they're not actually interested in me, just what's between my legs. It just makes the appeal of meeting new people kinda…I dunno, lacklustre. Don't you think, Sango?"

"Starting over every time with someone new is what makes being single so exciting, Kagome," Sango replied with a kind smile. "It's that newness and that excitement that makes people in relationships want out of them. You never know what you're gonna get."

Sango's smile grew. "I'll agree that it sucks when you meet a guy who's a total pervert and you want nothing to do with him. But it can be exhilarating when you meet someone who is attractive and is a kind of lover you've never had before."

Kagome smirked at her friend, but then frowned. "I suppose that's true. But it seems more like a pain in my ass."

Sango smiled, "Well, Kouga clearly likes you. I mean, he basically undresses you with his eyes every time you're around him. Maybe he'll ask you out. That could be simple enough for you. Plus, he is pretty good looking."

Kagome snorted, "I really don't think that's a good idea. Having a fling with the boss? That's so not right."

"So? It doesn't need to get dramatic. You guys set the terms, whether that's just sex or whatever, and there's no need for it to get blown out of proportion. It's when feelings get involved that the whole thing turns to shit.

"Besides," Sango followed up, "You told me you think he's good looking."

Kagome laughed, "That doesn't mean I want to jump into the sack with the guy. Besides, why are we even on this subject anyway?

Sango laughed, "Because this morning you complained that he eye-bangs you, even though I think you kinda like it. _And_ I think you're super horny."

Kagome struggled to hold back a giggle and conjoined her hands behind her head as she walked. "Horny or not, it's not gonna happen. Not with Kouga, at least. Besides, Sango, I think there's something going on between him and Ayame. And she kinda freaks me out to be honest."

Seeing Shippou at the truck, the girls hit pause on their conversation while they gathered up more rocks. Once they gathered another armful and passed through the gates, Sango picked up where they had left off.

"Ayame freaks you out?" she laughed, "Why?"

"Do you not see how she looks at me sometimes?" Kagome questioned with raised eyebrows, "I mean, I've seen resting bitch face before, Sango. But she _clearly_ does not like me very much. Maybe she sees how Kouga looks at me. I don't know. But I don't like it. I want nothing to do with that whole situation."

"You think she's claimed dibs?"

Kagome shrugged best she could with the weight in her arms. She took a tired and somewhat laboured breath as she adjusted her hold on the rocks.

"Either that," Kagome said thoughtfully, "Or the two of them are already…you know."

"You don't want to get in the middle of a love triangle?" Sango goaded.

Kagome nodded her head. "I'll stay far away from that mess, thank you very much."

Sango sighed an ' _oh well_ ,' and the girls continued walking.

"When was the last time _you_ went on a date with a guy?" Kagome asked, eager to change the subject from herself.

Sango thought for a moment. "Last weekend I think?"

"What? When? I saw you on Saturday."

"It was a brunch thing."

Kagome smirked. "Food brunch or sex brunch?"

Sango returned Kagome's eye with a playful grin, "A little bit of a column A…a lot of column B."

"Oh my god, you're so bad!" Kagome laughed.

Sango laughed aloud and dropped the rocks from her arms. "Women have needs too, Kagome. I'm genuinely shocked you haven't seen anyone for a while. Your showerhead can only do so much."

Kagome's face became a bright red and she looked away from Sango. "This is so not a safe for work conversation, Sango."

Sango chuckled and opened the cooler to grab a bottle of water for herself and Kagome.

"But, it's not that I'm not interested in seeing anyone," Kagome sighed pensively. "I've just been so distracted and _stressed_ lately. Finding someone who's decent just seems like so much work."

"Sex is good for stress," Sango offered.

"But finding the sex is stressful," Kagome challenged, seating herself down on the ground.

Sango laughed, "I guess that's what makes the sex so stress-relieving."

The sound of laughter bellowing from around the edge of the house caused both girls to turn their heads in its direction.

"Someone's having a good time."

Kagome watched as Sango stood up, brushed off her purple leggings, and headed towards the backyard.

"Sango!" Kagome whispered, "What are you doing?"

"I want to see who it is."

"We should really get back to work," Kagome replied nervously.

"Yeah, we will in a second, Kagome. I just want to see who it is. Aren't you curious to see if it's Inuyasha?"

The image of Inuyasha in his red suit sitting on the white couch beside his brother jumped before Kagome's eyes. She bit her bottom lip, deciding that her curiosity too was now piqued. She was interested in meeting Inuyasha after all…Kagome gripped her hands into fists anxiously before following in Sango's footsteps. Kagome couldn't help but look over her shoulder in anticipation of seeing someone watching her. She expected to hear Kouga's voice, any minute, telling the girls off for not working.

When they reached the corner of the house, they both strained their ears, eager to hear any sign of who was outside. Sango turned, wanting to say something to Kagome.

However, she hadn't anticipate Miroku coming around the side of the house just then. Her body ran right into his.

* * *

45 minutes earlier

* * *

Inuyasha couldn't focus.

Every two seconds he kept hearing those two girls giggling at god knows what and it was driving him crazy. How the hell was he supposed to focus when this annoying _tittering_ was drifting through the third storey window of his office?

 _Those stupid girls should be working. What the hell is so funny out there, anyway?_

Inuyasha approached the window and moved the curtains away with the back of his hand. His eyes surveyed the scene before him: the girls' drinking water, a small pile of rocks. He was able to get a rough understanding of what was going on.

The girl who had fainted yesterday stood with her back facing him, and his eyes narrowed in on her curiously. She hadn't been awake those few seconds on his patio when he confronted her friend. However, ever since Miroku made the comparison between that Kagome girl and his ex-girlfriend, a seed had been planted.

Relying on an insignificant and fleeting memory of what she looked like, he wanted to take a look at her again. He wanted to see for himself with a calculated eye whether she was really all that similar to Kikyou.

Hearing the girls relinquish to another burst of giggles, Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Then he opened the window.

Kagome had responded right away and looked up in his direction. He swore under his breath and hid himself behind the wall. A warm summer breeze grabbed at the curtains and pulled them outside the window. When the breeze died down he watched them fall loosely to either side of the open frame.

Inuyasha told himself off for hiding. This was his fucking house. Why the hell should he have to hide? If he wanted to open a window, he would open a window. If he wanted to look outside, he would look outside.

"I have every right to open my god damned windows," he verified gruffly, rolling his shoulder. Then he inched closer to the window, eager to hear what was just so damn funny.

"He's not awful looking…" the brown-haired girl said.

"Who is?"

 _Are they talking about me?_

"Kouga."

 _Who the fuck is Kouga?_

Kagome laughed and shook her head. "Oh god, Sango, please don't encourage this. It's been too long since I've been with someone that I don't need the enticement. Besides, he's our _boss_. I'm _not_ gonna go there."

Inuyasha felt a ' _hmm'_ growl in his throat.

Her voice was pleasant enough, and Inuyasha couldn't prevent the small smile that curved from his lips when he listened to her laugh. It was so pleasing to his ear it was almost contagious.

His memory landed on the name 'Kouga' and the smile immediately erased itself from his face.

That Kagome girl has the hots for her boss?

Having never technically met this Kagome girl he had absolutely no reason to have an interest in the subject. Yet, for some bizarre reason he couldn't even try to explain, the thought of her wanting to hook up with her boss annoyed him.

He watched the girls walk away from their garden site, his eyes lingering on Kagome's ponytail swaying like a pendulum behind her.

"My, my, my, enjoying a little sightseeing are we?"

Inuyasha jumped in response to Miroku's appearance behind him and banged his head against the open windowpane.

Spinning on his heel, rubbing his pained scalp, he growled and clenched his other fist in Miroku's direction. "What the fuck, Miroku!? Sneaking up on me like that. I should kill you."

Miroku laughed and casually waved away Inuyasha's comment. Approaching the window, Miroku saw the two girls walking away and he turned a devious eye to his employer.

"Is this a new hobby of yours?"

"Feh, fuck that. They were being so fucking loud I couldn't concentrate. I was gonna open the window to tell them to keep it down when you snuck up on me."

Miroku raised a sceptical eyebrow but didn't respond. Turning to look over his shoulder, Miroku pieced together that Inuyasha had been on his computer. His three monitors were on, each of them with a different news article identifying the release of three members of The Band of Seven.

"It's bothering you still," Miroku said. It was a statement, not a question.

Inuyasha turned to see what had drawn Miroku's attention and then cursed and turned away from him. "Of course it fucking bothers me," he growled. "Why wasn't I told about it?"

"Well, it was breaking news," Miroku consoled, approaching the monitors with his hands behind his back. "Molly's sources were the first to discover it. Would you believe it's been a trending topic since it was discovered last night? Apparently your PR is through the roof."

Inuyasha cursed again and turned off the monitors. "I couldn't give two shits about that," he snarled.

His eyes lingered on the blank screen, rage curdling in his stomach. "And just who the fuck does she think she is?" Inuyasha growled, reliving the interview with Molly.

It was supposed to have been about Sesshoumaru, but the second one of the executive producers caught wind that Inuyasha was in town, they had called Miroku, begging for Inuyasha to be on the show.

Initially planning for Inuyasha to make a cameo during the opening credits—he and Sesshoumaru needed some positive PR—it had come as a surprise that Molly wanted Inuyasha actually on her show. Miroku had told the producer that Inuyasha would make an appearance so long as Miroku could approve Molly's questions beforehand.

Much to Inuyasha's chagrin, many of the questions he had been asked weren't included on that debriefing sent to Miroku.

"Blindsiding me with those fucking questions about Kikyou," Inuyasha continued to grumble. "And then that shit with the _band_? That fucking bitch."

"Calm down, Inuyasha," Miroku cautioned. "Molly's known to be a bit erratic. We should have expected this from her. You handled it well enough."

"I should have been fucking told those assholes are getting out early. I shouldn't have found out by Molly _fucking_ Woo."

Miroku opened his mouth to respond when the sound of laughter and female voices captured both his and Inuyasha's attention. Miroku sidestepped toward the window to observe Sango and Kagome dropping rocks from their arms.

"Women have needs too, Kagome. I'm genuinely shocked you haven't seen anyone for a while. Your showerhead can only do so much."

Miroku raised an intrigued and amused eyebrow.

Inuyasha walked up to the window and focused his sights on Kagome. She was facing the window now and he could make out her features perfectly. Her face was engulfed by a blush and she looked away modestly from her friend.

"This is so not a safe for work conversation, Sango."

"How interesting," Miroku crooned.

Without a word more, Inuyasha watched him dash out of the room.

"What the hell are you scheming, you _pervert_?" Inuyasha demanded, walking briskly into the hall and down the elaborate staircase to the first floor of the house.

Inuyasha found Miroku in the kitchen, gathering a serving tray from the cupboard and a pitcher with four glasses.

"What are you doing, Miroku?" Inuyasha questioned, leaning against the kitchen's doorframe with his arms crossed.

"It's a great opportunity to talk to those girls. Besides, Kagome was fainted yesterday. I want to make a better acquaintance."

"Yeah, so?"

"So, I'm going to go out there, say hello, and offer those girls some refreshment. It's so unbearably warm for this time of day. I will be a hospitable host."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "It's not your fucking house, _host_."

Miroku gathered the tray in his hands once he filled the pitcher with lemonade. "Then perhaps you should accompany me. After all, it's not like you have the best track record with those landscaping people."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Well, maybe that douchebag owner shouldn't hire such incompetent idiots."

Miroku groaned. "You made a girl cry for being _short_ , Inuyasha."

Inuyasha widened his eyes defensively. "She was hired to trim trees, Miroku. _Trees_! And she's fucking three feet tall. How the fuck does _that_ make any sense?"

Miroku sighed and shook his head at Inuyasha. "I recommend you come with me. You were a bit tense with Sango yesterday. I think—"

"Feh," Inuyasha interrupted, "Not happening."

Inuyasha watched Miroku shrug his shoulders and then struggle to open the French doors. Intensifying the grip on his arms across his chest, Inuyasha rolled his eyes at seeing the two doors fly open and Miroku step onto the patio's wooden deck.

"They'll know you were spying, you idiot," Inuyasha cursed, watching Miroku walk away.

Miroku stopped and turned toward Inuyasha. "Then perhaps I shall tell them that I wasn't alone. After all," he cooed, "I wasn't the instigator."

"You son-of-a-bitch!"

A laugh escaped Miroku's throat as he scurried away from Inuyasha, who had lunged at Miroku in response. Planting his feet on the edge of the deck, an annoyed Inuyasha watched Miroku dash towards the corner of the house.

At the sound of a feminine shout and glass breaking, Inuyasha rushed to where he had seen Miroku disappear.

"What the hell is _wrong_ with you!?" an infuriated female voice cursed.

Inuyasha came to a stop to see both Miroku and the girl named Sango on their backs on the ground. Inuyasha didn't know what had led to this collision, but he understood enough that Miroku and Sango had both been coming around the corner at the same time and crashed into each other. The tray had flown from Miroku's hand upon impact and unfortunately, while in flight, the pitcher spilled and covered Sango in lemonade.

"Are you okay, Sango?"

Inuyasha watched Kagome reach towards her friend with widened, worried eyes.

"I'm terribly sorry, Sango," Miroku sputtered as he got to his knees. He outstretched his hand towards Sango to help her up but she slapped his hand away.

"Oh god, I'm so _sticky_ ," Sango cried, standing to her feet and shaking the dribbles of yellow liquid from her fingertips. She then turned enraged eyes towards Miroku.

Despite the confrontation between Sango and Miroku, Inuyasha's eyes lingered on Kagome. He watched her eyes bounce back and forth between the arguing pair and saw the smile inching from her lips in response to the scene.

As he was going to turn away, he felt her eyes turn to him, and he stopped. He looked over his shoulder at her and their eyes met. Seeing her this close for the first time, his eyes skirted over her features, taking in her button nose, wide brown eyes and full lips.

He understood what Miroku had meant: there _was_ something about her similar to Kikyou. But Kagome held herself with a different air than Kikyou, who typically came off as cold and conceited. Kagome's presence was warm and welcoming. Despite this being their first meeting, Inuyasha didn't feel any discomfort having her in his presence.

When his eyes finished scouring her face, he greeted her eye contact once more. Her glance had changed somewhat. Her lips upturned slightly into a playful smile, Inuyasha was intrigued. Who was this stubborn woman making eyes at him like this?

He felt a smirk rise from the corner of his own lips. Kagome hadn't moved her eyes away from his. He happily accepted the challenge. He tapered his glance with a slight furrow of his brow. Their eyes danced as his eyes darted back and forth to examine each of her eyes and vice versa. She smiled at him then.

Inuyasha felt puzzled. He couldn't read her expression.

Voices like ghosts floated through his head, reminding him of the sexual conversation she had been having with her friend when he first saw her. The reminder of her acknowledgement of sexual need and the comment about showerheads and masturbation left him curious. These thoughts in his head caused his sly smirk to transition into a full, tooth-bearing grin. A laugh snuck out between his teeth.

Finally, as if her sense got the better of her, her challenging look retreated. With widened eyes, she looked down at her hands and gripped the hem of her shirt. Inuyasha watched her cheeks become overtaken by a flush of pink.

Pleased with the reaction she gave him, Inuyasha turned to head back into the house. The humidity causing the small of his back to begin to sweat, he decided to retreat for his afternoon swim.

He was fascinated. A woman had never kept his eye like that before, challenged him like that before.

He looked forward to it happening again.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

The InuKag developments begin! The next chapter is well underway.

I love reading your thoughts. Thanks so much to all of you who have been reviewing. Want to leave more? I won't complain! XD


	7. You're Invited

_**Author's Note**_

I apologize in advance—this chapter may seem filler-esque, but I promise you…good things are incoming! :D

Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _You're Invited_

* * *

Over the next few days, Inuyasha intentionally, but non-admittedly, altered his schedule so he could find himself close to the west side of his property between the hours of 7:30am and 6:00pm. From spending more time in his third-floor office, to spending significant portions of his afternoon underneath his cooling patio fan, Inuyasha was so intrigued by Kagome he wanted to find a way to keep her within a certain proximity to him.

The girls' laughter was a common sound on the property now. Whether Inuyasha was upstairs with a window open, or sitting in the sunroom engrossed in a book, or taking a meeting with his investors. The sound was omnipotent.

Tuesday's eye contact melding into Wednesday afternoon, Inuyasha's curiosity was so aroused he told Miroku to ensure the housing staff always opened the west side windows first thing in the morning. He would never verbalize how captivated he had become by listening to Kagome's voice, her stories. But her laughter was something he had grown used to hearing. It was something he had grown fond of hearing.

He wasn't at all surprised that she used to be a teacher. From listening to her speak, it seemed almost a perfect occupational fit. He couldn't, for the life of him, understand how she found herself in this job. But he wasn't one to complain.

From hearing her speak periodically, Inuyasha felt certain that he had never met someone who was always so optimistic as that girl. She worked hard. She never complained, and she was supportive of her friend whenever Sango grew frustrated with the work.

He overheard stories about her family, stories about an old boyfriend who was really _vanilla_ , as Sango called it. She grew ridiculously enthusiastic when talking about a new book she started reading, became so animated about a restaurant she couldn't wait to try. Inuyasha found her perspective almost…refreshing. She wasn't jaded. She was happy. Genuinely happy.

She was also uncharacteristically intensely stubborn, and it was her stubbornness that Inuyasha found so…amusing.

She would argue—albeit politely—with that douchebag Kouga when she disagreed with his opinion. She reprimanded that kid Shippou when she saw he was getting a sunburn. She stood up for herself, and for Sango, and the work the two girls accomplished. Her personality was a fine balance between a carefreeness that left a smile across her delicate features, and a firm moral compass that made her stand her ground when she felt it was necessary to do so.

Inuyasha couldn't explain it, but he couldn't get enough of her.

He wasn't the kind of man who conventionally felt the need to resort to eavesdropping. Matter of fact, he had never put so much effort into keeping a controlled distance from someone before. He knew what he was doing was stupid. A part of him even felt ashamed for sneaking and spying like this. He felt jumpy whenever one of his household staff came around when Inuyasha had stopped what he was doing to listen to the girls. He didn't know how to explain himself. But then he remembered that he was the owner of the house _and_ the man in charge so he didn't need to explain himself to anybody.

Ever since he and Kagome shared that…look…he didn't know how he could instigate it again without seeming like he was trying to hard. Therefore, Inuyasha put effort into trying to make an encounter with Kagome appear effortless.

And Miroku, amusingly, was in the same boat.

After the lemonade incident, Miroku had approached the girls later in the day in hopes of providing a peace offering. However, his visit was not well-received by Sango who was forced to finish the rest of her Tuesday in clothing that left her skin feeling tacky and with hair strands that became crispy from lemonade dried by the sun.

Unwilling to allow Sango to stay mad at him, Miroku concocted a plan. On Wednesday, Miroku orchestrated some of the staff to bring the girls coffee, tarts, and muffins in the mornings, and watermelon and iced tea in the afternoons. However, by the end of the day, he grieved that his gifts had been untouched. By Thursday morning, though, he was pleased to see that Kagome begun to graciously accept his hospitality.

Having inquired once, to a meek looking female, on whose behalf these treats were sent, the woman merely bowed her head to Kagome and said 'Master Houshi.' By the time Thursday afternoon rolled around, the housing staff were leaving the girls trays of drinks and light snacks on the patio table.

Despite Sango's pride that prevented her from accepting Miroku's gifts, she was all too happy to oblige to taking a break in the shade when Kagome wanted some tea or a snack. Starting Thursday afternoon, when the humidity became so thick it felt like you could take a bite out of it, the girls took a welcome break underneath the patio canopy.

It was that afternoon when how Inuyasha learned about Miroku's _generosity_ towards the girls.

He had been leaving the pool house after a swim in the afternoon when he heard the girls on the patio before he saw them. In shock from the site before him, he backtracked his steps and, still dripping wet, Inuyasha marched into the house using the connected pool house entrance and confronted Miroku.

"We're feeding them now?" Inuyasha demanded, his hands on his hips.

"Ah, Inuyasha," Miroku commented, his eyes on his phone. "Did you see the memo I forwarded you? Your lawyer responded to your question about—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll get to that. But the _girls_ , Miroku. What the hell have you been doing with those _girls?_ Why the fuck are they on my patio?"

"Oh," Miroku blinked a few times, a harmless expression taking over his face. "It's a peace offering."

Inuyasha's mouth opened slightly as he watched Miroku walk away and flip through papers in his hands.

"A _peace offering?_ What the hell does that mean?"

Miroku turned to look at Inuyasha over his shoulder, the documents falling to his side. "I'm sure even you, Inuyasha, noticed how tense everything became with the girls after Sango and I…" Miroku trailed off with a shake of his head. "I don't mean to presume, Inuyasha, but from taking a look at your calendar these past two days, I have a suspicion that you are quite intrigued by our girl Kagome, out there—" Miroku didn't stop speaking when he saw the look on Inuyasha's face that suggested he was about to interrupt— "And I'm quite taken by Sango, myself. Therefore, I feel it's in our best interests to not permit any bad blood to exist between us. That explains the patio and the coffee and the treats."

"And fucking _muffins_ can fix bad blood?"

"It's a show of good will, Inuyasha," Miroku replied with a stern look in his eye.

Looking down at his feet, Inuyasha noticed the wet footprints he left in the carpet and adjusted himself onto the hardwood flooring. "Feh, I just don't see what good _feeding them_ will do. If they're gonna be bitches about some _lemonade_ then it's no skin off my back."

"You know, as well as I do, Inuyasha, that having those girls work so closely to the house would make it uncomfortable if things negatively escalated between us. If you are that opposed to allowing the girls the use of the patio, I'd love to hear some alternative suggestions for how to keep the peace, if you have them."

Inuyasha sighed belligerently in response and turned his head to look in the direction where the girls would be seated. He wanted to argue that he would have the authority to just fire both of those girls if push came to shove. However, he was too flustered to know how to word his argument, so he just let it go.

"Alright, fine. But they're still not allowed in the house," Inuyasha grumbled, walking away.

"Of course," Miroku nodded. "I wouldn't have permitted otherwise."

* * *

The days went by slowly but the week flew by. Before Kagome knew any better it was Friday. Her first payday.

Sango and Kagome had been giddy that morning while they rode in the truck alongside their colleagues on the way to Sengoku Manor. The pre-weekend electricity in the air, everyone seemed to be in brighter spirits.

The moment Sango climbed into Kagome's Corolla, Sango was insistent that the girls go out that night. It had been a long, gruelling week, and Sango claimed that she and Kagome were going to dress up and go out to celebrate their first paycheques.

Kagome couldn't recall the last time she had put a substantial amount of effort into dressing up, and she certainly couldn't imagine the last time she wore high heels instead of steel-toed boots or running shoes. Reluctantly, Kagome agreed that she and Sango could plan a night out depending on how tired Kagome felt after work.

However, Kagome knew that once Sango sunk her teeth into something, Kagome really didn't have a choice.

Kagome became used to the routine she and Sango had developed, and walking down the lengthy driveway to reach their garden site, Kagome felt her heartbeat flutter at the sudden reminder that came upon her of Miroku's coffee and morning pastries.

She had been overly amused when Miroku had trays initially brought to the girls; however, Sango had been insistent to the woman bearing the tray that it be taken away. Sango was firm in stating that she and Kagome wanted no special treatment from the house's owner or its staff. However, Kagome's amusement intensified at noticing how Sango's stubbornness matched that of Miroku's.

Not only did he not accept Sango's refusal to accept his gesture, but he had the trays left for the girls on the patio. The news was delivered to the girls by a note handed to them by a member of the house's staff. It had been signed with the initials M.H. and said, "The host requests you enjoy yourselves. He won't take no for an answer." Kagome, not one to deny the efforts or generosity of others, was happy for the reprieve brought to her day by meandering over to the patio for ten to fifteen minutes. She found the fruit and iced tea a welcome refreshment. Sango, however, followed her friend and took some enjoyment in the shade, but she wanted nothing to do with the goods.

"I don't understand, Sango," Kagome said over a mouthful of watermelon. "What's so wrong in enjoying this? I, for one, think this is a really nice gesture."

Sango's eyes steeled. "I don't trust him, Kagome. That pervert is up to something."

Kagome smiled. "How many times does that poor man have to apologize to you before you accept his apologies? I really don't think he planned to knock you over or cover you in lemonade, Sango."

"And what about copping a feel?" Sango retorted, her cheeks flushed. "Bet he didn't plan that either?"

Kagome sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know the man, Sango. I can't speak for his intentions. But," Kagome motioned to the table in front of her, "he's been quite insistent that we accept his generosity as a white flag. I really don't see what harm coffee or iced tea could bring you."

Sango grumbled and crossed her arms underneath her breasts. "Unless they're spiked with something."

Kagome sighed with an amused roll of her eyes and took another sip of her iced tea.

"Are you still adamant that we go out tonight?" Kagome asked, eager to change the subject to bring her friend out of her funk. She smiled at seeing how immediately Sango emerged from her irritation.

"Oh god, _yes_. I need to feel like an attractive female again. I've been covered in dirt and sweat for the last few days. I almost forget what false eyelashes feel like."

Kagome laughed. "I know what you mean. The idea of getting ready to go out sounds exhausting, but I can't remember the last Friday night where we went out."

Sango nodded. "Where should we go?"

Kagome made a face and shook her head. "You know way more about that sort of stuff than I do. What do you feel like? A bar? A club?"

"If I'm getting dolled up, I'm going dancing. I can say that much."

Kagome laughed. "A club it is then."

A lull developed in the girls' conversation as Sango pulled her phone out from her back pocket and started scrolling her thumb vertically.

"What are you doing?" Kagome inquired.

Sango was silent for a few moments before responding. "I'm trying to see what sorts of events some of the clubs have going on this weekend."

Kagome's eyes widened fearfully. "Please, Sango. No foam parties. For the love of god, don't do that to me again, okay?" Kagome laughed. "Once was _certainly_ enough."

Sango laughed and playfully winked at her friend. Then she turned her attentions back to her phone.

" _Goshinboku_ has dollar beers," Sango said, her eyes glued to her screen. " _Yura's_ has free entrance for women after eleven…" Then, after a brief pause and snigger, "No _friggin'_ way."

Kagome put her drink down and turned her curious eyes to her friend. "What is it, Sango?"

"Apparently _Kobura_ is closed tonight for a private event." Sango turned her eyes to meet Kagome's. "Guess who's event it is?"

Kagome shrugged.

"Inuyasha's."

Kagome's mouth opened slightly. "What's the event for?"

Sango shook her head, her eyes returning to her phone. "Their website doesn't say. It just has an apology that the place has been reserved for a private event."

"I'm surprised they have it advertised who booked the event," Kagome pondered, tapping her finger against her chin. "You'd think that would cause some serious alarm in people. I mean, advertising that a celebrity will be hosting a private event?"

Sango shrugged. "Yeah, I see what you mean. I have no idea though."

A devilish look appeared in Sango's eye just then, and it caused Kagome to brace herself. She knew that whatever Sango was about to say next would _not_ be good.

"Do you want to go?"

Kagome frowned, "Go where?"

"To _Kobura's_."

Kagome tilted her head to the side in confusion. "But, I thought it's a private event. We'd never get in."

Sango smirked. "I bet you Miroku would have authorization over the guest list."

Kagome flashed Sango an unenthusiastic eye. "We can't just ask if we can go, Sango. We barely know Miroku well enough to think we have a right to attend such a party."

Sango mirrored Kagome's earlier gesture towards the food and drink in front of her. "You think Miroku would go to such trouble with all _this_ if he wasn't interested in one of us? Put two-and-two together, Kagome."

Kagome sighed. "I'm really not comfortable asking him, Sango. It seems…I dunno…kinda presumptuous."

Sango smirked at her friend. "I didn't say you had to ask him. I'm more than happy to."

"We haven't seen him at all today," Kagome countered. "How do you plan on asking him?"

Sango flashed Kagome a confident smile then stood up and walked towards the patio French doors.

Anxiety spiking in Kagome's stomach, watching Sango creak open one of the doors, Kagome quickly covered her ears with her hands. At the same time Sango shouted Miroku's name into the house, Kagome reiterated to herself that this really was a bad idea.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

The next chapter is gonna be doooooooooope. Thanks a million all you lovely reviewers! I'd love your feedback!


	8. Happy Birthday, Rin

_**Author's Note**_

I honestly couldn't write this chapter fast enough, I was so excited. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Happy Birthday, Rin_

* * *

Waiting for the taxi in the foyer of Sango's apartment building, Kagome pulled at the hem of her silver sequin-covered dress. This being the third time she had to pull the hem of the dress down to ensure her bum wasn't hanging out, Kagome was immediately regretting this decision of allowing Sango to dress her.

Kagome crossed her arms under her breasts as she peeked through the front curtains. It had been almost fifteen minutes since the cab was supposed to be there. Miroku had said to be there around 10:30, and it was inching closer to 11. Sango said they were just being fashionably late, but Kagome's anxiety was spiking.

Sango's magenta high heels click-clacked on the ceramic tile as she paced behind her friend, waiting for their mode of transportation to arrive.

Kagome turned to look over at her friend, and felt a sudden twinge of jealousy show its head and then vanish in pure appreciation of how incredible Sango looked. Her black one-shoulder dress hugged every inch of Sango's firm body, and the midriff was lacy and elegant, revealing Sango's perfectly toned stomach and almost-six-pack. Her dark brown hair was loose and draped over one shoulder delicately.

Sango catching Kagome's eye, she smiled at her friend. In return, Kagome felt Sango's eyes take in Kagome's appearance from head to toe, and Sango just shook her head with a laugh escaping her mouth.

"Those boys will _not_ know what hit them tonight."

Kagome laughed and snuck a glimpse of herself in the hallway mirror.

Kagome's dress was tight, strapless, and the sequins on the bodice almost blinded Kagome she was so radiant. However, despite the sparkling appeal of the little gems, they irritated Kagome's biceps. But, looking past the slightly red skin on the underneath of her arms, Kagome couldn't get over how _well_ Sango's push-up bra worked on Kagome. Kagome looked at herself in the mirror and she swore that the main thing she saw was bright, glittery hips and boob. It probably helped that the cup size was a size smaller than Kagome's usual, but Kagome almost felt like her breasts were suffocating her they had so much lift.

"This dress gives me too much boob, Sango," Kagome sighed in response to her reflection, her fingers trailing the backs of her thighs as she tried to pull the skirt lower. "And I swear to God my _ass_ is about to fall out."

Sango laughed and walked over to Kagome, playing with the ends of her friend's hair affectionately.

"With the nightie I gave you to wear underneath, the dress should be fine, Kagome. Just stop pulling at the bottom and drawing attention to it. If you yank too hard the whole top is going to fall down."

Kagome laughed and immediately looked down to inspect her breasts. "I swear it's too short on me, Sango," Kagome whined with a furrowed brown, turning her eyes back to her reflection and turning to inspect herself over her shoulder. "I can essentially see the outline of my ass cheeks."

Sango laughed and wrapped her arms around her friend's shoulders. "What's a little cheek, Kagome?"

The girls both laughed, and then turned their attention outside at the sound of a car horn cutting through the otherwise silence of the hallway.

Miroku having given his permission to attend Inuyasha's event, Sango told Kagome that the girls needed to fit in, and any old regular Friday night dress was just _not_ going to cut it, in Sango's opinion. They were going to be privy to a celebrity's private event, and Sango was adamant that the girls would look the part.

When Sango saw the look the taxi driver gave both girls when they appeared through the front doors, Sango smiled victoriously. She knew she and Kagome were masterpieces.

After two and a half hours of the girls getting ready—legs shaved, lingerie adorned (because you never know…), heels on, hair done, and makeup completed —Sango couldn't stop grinning at Kagome. She had never seen Kagome look so stunning, and Kagome, barely recognizing herself, couldn't erase the idiotic grin that took over her face as she sat in the backseat of the cab. She felt like a million bucks.

Kagome had never curled her hair before; however, she allowed Sango to use her large curlers on Kagome while Kagome sat patiently and allowed Sango to play makeover. Gorgeous, subtle waves in her hair, winged eyeliner, plumped red lips, and false lashes later, despite not having put on her dress yet, Kagome wasn't able to stop smiling at her reflection in the mirror of Sango's bathroom when she first saw the semi-finished product.

The cab starting to slowly inch forward once Sango gave the driver the directions, Kagome's heartbeat intensified at the premise of the evening she had ahead of her. Her smile turning into a devious smirk, she couldn't _wait_ for Inuyasha to see her.

However, Kagome wasn't the only one looking forward to the evening. Despite Sango's earlier remarks about and reactions to Miroku during the week, his face was the one that sprung to mind when she strapped herself into one of her more risqué push-up bras. She may not have trusted him—or forgiven him for making her work four hours covered in juice that coated her skin like a film and left her hair and clothes feeling crusty—but Sango really couldn't argue the facts. On most days, he looked fantastic, and she did _not_ want to miss the opportunity to see him in person in a suit.

Turning her sights out her window, a smile came upon Sango's face as she remembered Miroku's response to her appearing in Inuyasha's house earlier that day.

Unsurprisingly, Miroku had reacted with the utmost enthusiasm that Sango showed enough of an interest in him that she had bellowed through the first floor of the house to find him. The more he seemed to think about it, he became overjoyed and certainly amused over the fact that Sango chose to violate Inuyasha's rule by entering the house when no one answered her call. Fortunately, for Miroku, Inuyasha's driver had taken him out to see his hairdresser, and he had left only minutes before Sango's rave appearance in the house's sunroom.

Miroku couldn't have been more excited yet terrified—however it more the former than the latter—to walk into the kitchen to find Sango standing in the doorway between the sunroom and kitchen. He had been upstairs when one of the maids told him someone had been calling his name from that area. He would never have guessed it was Sango.

Sango had greeted him with a broad smile and partially flushed cheeks. She thanked him for his generosity with the treats—he _knew_ that would work!—and said she had discovered Inuyasha's event on the downtown public events forum. She said she and Kagome had initially planned on going to _Kobura_ that evening; however, she saw that it was closed for a private event.

Donning her best _please Miroku_ face, she asked if it would be possible for Kagome and her to not have to cancel their plans—"Which we've been looking forward to _all_ _week_ , Miroku. You wouldn't make us have to change our plans so last minute and get our hopes up, would you?"—and be allowed into the venue that evening.

Miroku had been somewhat taken aback at Sango's bluntness about the event; however, he laughed and acknowledged that he had complete authority over the party. At this point, he said it was too late for the girls to join the entourage in the limousine; however, he did say it would be possible to contact the venue and have the girls' names added to the list.

Sango wanted to clap her hands and jump with glee when she saw Miroku pull out his phone and connect with his venue representative. He was _the_ main party planner, after all. Moments later, the rep confirmed that the names "Kagome" and "Sango" were on the list at the front door.

After Sango inquired about the event, Miroku explained that the party was a coming-of-age surprise party for Inuyasha's niece, Rin, who turned twenty that day. Sesshoumaru, who had gained full custody of his daughter following his last marriage, not being one for event planning, had asked Inuyasha to utilize Miroku's project planning services. Miroku's reputation quite well known in the celebrity community, Miroku was chartered with complete responsibility over the event, and he had mailed out the invitations and booked the venue and the caterers several months prior to this date.

Once the conversation between the two of them started dwindling, Miroku felt a little shaken to hear how publicly the venue had been advertising the private event. However, after his confrontation with Sango, Miroku immediately called the establishment and demanded their announcement be removed. Thanks to Miroku's charisma—and threats to expose the venue's publicity to Inuyasha, himself—Miroku was able to get a tax deduction on the party.

Sango retreated from her reflection suddenly. She swore she could feel the bass before she heard it. Kagome could hear it before she could see the venue.

To both girls, it felt surreal.

Dresses in every colour Kagome could imagine. The most beautiful people Kagome had ever seen. A long black carpet rolled down from the venue's front doors, down the front stairs, and leading to the road. People kissed each other on both cheeks before entering the black stucco, two-storey nightclub.

Thanks to _Kobura's_ advertising, the paparazzi were there, and they were wild. Men in black shirts with earpieces stood between the glamourous crowd and the media cameras, hungry for the perfect shot. Kagome couldn't take her eyes off the people who seemed so ambivalent to the press attention they received, carrying on with their laughing, kissing cheeks, socializing and strutting their way into the club's tinted black glass doors. Kagome peeked around Sango's body to look out the window and felt mesmerized by the neon lights of the _Kobura_ sign and snake-turned-exclamation mark, it's trademarked image, and the flash from all the cameras.

Kagome felt a rock drop in her stomach.

Getting out of her side of the cab, Kagome tried to subtly pull at the length of her dress to cover her rear. Catching eyes with a man driving past in an Italian sports car Kagome couldn't even try to pronounce the name of, Kagome smiled.

How did this happen? How did she get here? Who was she, Kagome Higurashi, to be here? Locking arms with Sango as the girls ascended the front steps of the building, Kagome almost going blind from flash photography, Kagome's head was reeling. She shouldn't be here. This wasn't her normal at all. Her normal was popcorn and binge-watching series into the wee hours of the morning. This was the _exclusive_ of the exclusive. Kagome could see the eyes of the public watching her, envying her, wishing they could somehow find their way into such a lavish place like she did.

Yet somehow, Sango's flirting got Kagome a front row ticket into Inuyasha Taisho's private party. A glimpse into his private life. She was attending the party for Inuyasha's twenty-year old niece. Kagome's body felt warm she was so on edge.

Thankfully, Sango didn't miss a beat when they approached the front doors and a man three times the size of Kagome asked for their names. While Kagome put every effort into trying to look like she belonged there, Sango rhymed off their names and offered the man a flirtatious smile as he opened the door and nodded the girls inside.

Every pore in Kagome's body rippled with the bass-laden music. The entire interior was black; however, the place buzzed with a social electricity that Kagome had never felt before. The building would have been completely dark if not for the faint lizard-green highlights from spotlights angled throughout the establishment.

The place was packed.

Sango gripped Kagome's arm tighter and led her friend around trying to find a bar. However, a server in a jacket and tie found the girls first and Sango happily grabbed each of them a flute of whatever rose-gold coloured alcohol they were offered.

Kagome and Sango said a quick cheers—despite the fact that neither of them could really hear their own voices over the music—and downed the liquid in one gulp as if it had been a shot.

It wasn't long until a different server found the girls and offered them another. Kagome felt like she was flying.

Kagome's eyes flew in every direction, her excitement too much to allow her to really digest the sights before her. People smiled at her, one man put his arm around her waist, and Kagome suddenly knew that the drinks were working. She felt invincible, fearless. She saw the way men looked at her. She felt the hem of her dress teasing flirtatiously at the base of her ass, and she felt like the sexiest woman in the world.

And then he saw her. And she saw him. And despite the four flutes of whatever that divine beverage was, the room started reeling. But it wasn't the booze.

Inuyasha couldn't believe his eyes when he saw her. He almost mistook her for someone else. But the second her eyes locked on his and he felt that familiar warmth in his stomach from the way she looked at him, he was absolutely sure.

It was Kagome.

"You invited them?" Inuyasha yelled into the ear of Miroku.

Turning to see at whom Inuyasha was looking, Miroku saw the legs, and then the breasts, and then the face of Kagome, and knew who his employer was talking about.

"Be nice!" Miroku shouted back, giving Inuyasha a playful warning look before disappearing from his boss. Seeing Kagome made one thing absolutely clear: Sango was here, as well.

The music stopped for the briefest of seconds and the only sounds that could be heard were women screaming and the general ambience of a crowd of people. The DJ came over the microphone and shouted, 'Happy birthday, Rin!" so loud the microphone clipped when he said birthday. The people cheered, and then music came back on.

By the time Kagome turned her eyes away from the DJ to focus back on a certain black-shirted male, Inuyasha was gone. Turning around to look over her shoulder, Kagome smiled.

Miroku had found Sango.

Another server found Kagome and she happily accepted another flute of alcohol. Taking another voyeuristic glimpse of her friend, Kagome's face was covered in a smile. She knew it was all an act. Sango liked to play hard to get, and from seeing the way Miroku flirted with her, it seemed like he was up for the challenge.

Knowing that her friend had found her male companion, Kagome steeled herself. It was about time that she introduced herself to Inuyasha.

The music heavy in her sternum, Kagome smiled and nodded at people she passed, taking sips of her beverage when men offered her a drink. One very handsome man with brown hair pulled on Kagome's arm and she fell into his side. She laughed uncomfortably as she pushed his arm away from around her shoulders and walked away as quickly as she could in shoes she wasn't that familiar with.

Five drinks in—or was it six?—Kagome could have kicked herself for wandering away from Sango.

The club would have been completely dark if not for the green neon lights that barely chased away the shadows. The green lights rotated, and would fade into blue and then red, and then back to green. But it was just enough light to hug the features of the people Kagome came into contact with, and she didn't recognize any of them. By the time she had made her way once around the whole building, Kagome stopped where she stood and took a full look around her, hoping to let the imagery sink in.

The club was open-concept, with a raised level around the edges of the building's first floor, filled with booths where people huddled and enjoyed their bottle service. Looking ahead of her, Kagome could see a one-step dip downwards into the sunken dance floor. Her eyes lingered there. It was hypnotizing watching all those bodies moving together.

Turning her eyes upwards, Kagome saw that the middle of the building seemed to be hollowed out, making the venue feel bigger than it actually was. Two staircases on either side led to the upstairs; however, even the stairs were covered with people.

Kagome felt a large hand meld into the skin of her backside and she jumped, almost losing her footing. A group of men burst into laughter at her reaction and Kagome flushed, turning away from them quickly. Trying to find her way back to where she had left Sango, Kagome saw that her friend and Miroku were nowhere to be seen.

A deafening cheer rising from the crowd of people on the dance floor, Kagome turned just in time to see Sango leading Miroku into the centre of the floor where bodies pulsed and gyrated together. The two of them disappeared just as quickly as Kagome found them. She then knew that the only chances she had of not being by herself for the rest of the evening were to either interrupt Sango and Miroku and third wheel, make a friend, or find Inuyasha.

The last option hit her like a tonne of bricks and Kagome spun on her heel, eager to see if she could find him.

Kagome knew that without those few drinks, her heart would have blown out of her chest with panic. She was alone in a strange place, dressed in nothing but a tube of sequins, searching for a man she had never spoken to, but made eyes at once.

Her mother would be ashamed.

Another pause in the music, another cheer from the crowd, another 'Happy birthday, Rin,' and Kagome had made two laps of the building without any sign of him.

He had been wearing a black button-up shirt that was undone to his mid-chest. His hair had been loose and flowing over his shoulders, and Kagome couldn't believe how difficult it was to find someone with that colour of hair. It was the landmark she was looking for.

How many people could possibly have that coloured hair?

A hand clamped down on her shoulder and Kagome jumped. Turning to look at the man behind her, she cringed at seeing an unfamiliar toothy smile. Then she felt a hand wrap around her waist and land, palm spread, on her stomach.

"Come with me, sweetheart," he breathed through her hair and into her ear. The heat from his breath made Kagome reactively shrug her shoulders to protect her ear from him.

"I'm looking for someone. Please let go," Kagome shouted, taking a step further. But the hand clenched into a fist on her stomach and she felt herself moving backwards despite her attempt to take a step in front of her.

"I have something I can show you."

Kagome rolled her eyes and tried to remove the man's hand from her stomach, but he grabbed at her arm with his other hand and spun her around, pulling her behind him as he walked.

"Let go of my arm!" she shouted, her heart pounding frantically.

Kagome took another ten steps, dragged behind the man, before he stopped. Kagome's wrist throbbed from within his grasp.

Trying to swing her arm out of his clutch, Kagome felt her breath catch when her eyes made eye contact with his once more. He saw in the fear in her face, and despite the volume of the music, she heard the growl escape his throat. Inuyasha grabbed the collar of the man's shirt in his fist. When Inuyasha pulled the man closer to his face, the man dropped Kagome's wrist in fear. Impulsively, Kagome wrapped her other hand around her wrist in comfort and cradled the aching limb in her chest.

"What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing with her, _huh_?"

"Inu—Inu—Inuyasha!" the man stuttered. "I—I-I—I was just…"

"I couldn't give a fuck about your excuses, asshole. Get the fuck out of here before I throw you out myself."

Inuyasha released the man's collar forcefully and he looked like he was about to fall over, but then he regained his composure and burst past a few people, almost knocking someone off their feet in the process.

Kagome felt a sigh escape her throat.

Inuyasha was standing directly in front of her, but his head was turned to watch that asshole hurdle himself out of the club. Kagome's eyes feasted on the side of his neck. Narrowing her focus, she could almost see his skin pulsing. His neck was so bare, so exposed. She bit her lower lip hungrily.

She flinched slightly when he turned to meet her eyes. His look softened and she saw his tense shoulders begin to relax. He took the smallest of steps towards her.

"Are you alright, Kagome?"

She breathed heavily, a little embarrassed, a little drunk. "Yes, thank you. I don't know what I would have done if you didn't show up."

The comment caused Inuyasha to clench his fist and Kagome smiled at the action.

"What the hell are you doing here by yourself, idiot?" He chastised. "What happened to your friend?"

Kagome turned to look over her shoulder at the dancefloor.

"Miroku happened to my friend."

Inuyasha scoffed and rolled his eyes.

The music paused, the crowd screamed another drunken 'Happy birthday, Rin,' and the music picked up again, continuing to thump through Kagome's body. Or was that her heart? Taking in the sight and smell of Inuyasha, she didn't know anymore.

His skin was flawless. His hair reached the middle of his biceps and twirled delicately anytime he turned his head. The black of his shirt squeezed the muscles that she could only see when the lights faded to the blue. By the time her eyes lowered to make out the slightest of bulges in between his legs, Kagome felt dizzy.

She needed another drink.

"I need some fresh air," Kagome commented suddenly, not really sure how the comment brought itself to life on her lips. She had been looking at his—

"The door's that way," Inuyasha pointed, interrupting her thoughts.

Kagome paused for a moment. The alcohol catching up with her, her eyesight blurred, then cleared, then blurred again.

"Will you come with me?"

Inuyasha's appealing eyes widened slightly at her comment, and then he smirked lazily, rolled his eyes, and scoffed.

"I'm not your fucking babysitter, you know."

Kagome had a witty remark planned, but she became distracted by a server walking by with more of that delicious pink liquid. She grabbed herself another flute.

"How many of those have you had?" he eyed her suspiciously.

"Why do you care?" Kagome challenged.

The alcohol causing her a momentary lapse in knowing where she was or who she was with, Kagome leaned forward and pulled at the hem of her dress with her free hand. Standing up and noticing that the act of pulling down the dressed had made her cleavage appear a bit more, including the top of the teal bra she wore, she giggled drunkenly and pulled at the material above her breasts. The mounds of flesh rose with the motion, and then dropped heavily from gravity, bouncing so slightly into place.

Inuyasha gulped past the lump in his throat.

"I thought you were going outside?"

Kagome put her empty flute down on the tray of a passing server and offered Inuyasha a flirtatious smile.

"I thought you didn't care?"

Inuyasha snorted and shook his head at her.

Kagome, smiling at him defiantly, said a quick 'see ya!' before walking around him and heading in the direction of the door. She had meant to turn around to make eyes at him again, to see if he would follow, but she was outside before the thought even occurred to her to turn around.

The outside air felt deafening once Kagome stepped onto the club's outdoor patio. The air not all that fresh, felt contaminated with cigarette smoke, and despite the cool breeze that rushed across Kagome's flushed face, she somewhat regretted the decision to come out here due to the smell.

"Yooooo, Inuyasha! You got a light, brother?"

Kagome turned to look over her shoulder to see Inuyasha emerging from the double doors behind her. Her face lit up.

"Matches only," Inuyasha responded, tossing a small yellow package in the man's direction.

Pulling a red and white package from the back of his pants pocket, Kagome watched Inuyasha lay a white cylinder on his bottom lip, light up its end, and then take a hearty inhale. To a somewhat drunk Kagome, the sound he made reminded her of someone coming up for air after a long time under water.

"I thought you weren't babysitting me?" Kagome challenged cheekily.

Inuyasha didn't return her look. Instead he blew a mouthful of smoke in the other direction.

"I needed a cigarette."

"I didn't know you smoked."

Inuyasha turned a raised eyebrow towards her. "I didn't know you knew me."

Kagome scrunched her nose at his comment and he snorted a laugh in response, taking another drag on his cigarette.

"I don't see you smoking at the house."

Inuyasha didn't respond right away, his eyes seemingly fixated on something in the distance. "I only smoke when I'm stressed."

"Why are you stressed?" Kagome asked without a hitch, crossing her arm under her breasts.

The act drew Inuyasha's hungering attention back towards her bosom and he felt a tightness develop in his groin. She really needed to stop doing that.

"Don't worry about it," he said, flicking the butt of his cigarette away and running a hand through his hair. His eyes turned to Kagome then, and he allowed them to linger on her body while she was distracted looking at something else.

He had no idea how she got herself into that dress. It hugged her where it mattered and it dawned on him from how she held herself that she really had no idea just how good she looked in it.

Feeling his eyes on her, she turned and offered him a smile. Inuyasha's eyes caught her hair flicking outwards with the motion. He felt the sudden urge to wrap her hair around his fist, assert his dominance over her, and pull her head backwards, allowing him to suck on the sensitive intersection where her neck met her shoulder as he rammed his—

"Would he leave with her?"

Inuyasha shook his head of the thought, his throat feeling tight.

"What?"

"Miroku. Do you think he would leave with Sango?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Maybe. If he thought he had a chance with her."

Kagome smirked. "Well, I'm supposed to be the one going home with her tonight."

Inuyasha returned the smirk. "Well, seeing that you're out here with me, that doesn't seem fucking likely. Does it?"

Kagome shook her head. "Think we could go find them?"

"And why the hell can't you go by yourself?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at her.

"Why? Because I'm kinda drunk, I can't really see all that well in there, and I don't want that creeper to come back."

Inuyasha felt his jaw tighten at the reminder of the dickbag back there, running his hands all over Kagome and leading her God knows where. Inuyasha's fist tightened.

"Alright, fine. Where did you see them last?" he asked, holding the door open for her.

"Dance floor."

Inuyasha groaned. The last thing he needed right now was to have a bunch of fucking strangers forcing him to press his body up against this girl. She worked on his property for Christ's sake. He couldn't afford the mistake of fucking one of his gardeners because she was so tempting in that little dress of hers. He tried to picture her in her muddy, clunky boots and pale blue t-shirt, but he couldn't. He could only see the Kagome in front of him, with legs for days, hair that he just wanted to lose his hands in, and breasts pushed up towards him like hors d'oeurves.

"Are you coming, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha swore at himself for getting distracted again and walked into the club behind her. The humid air and bass hit him square in the face. He allowed himself a moment to appreciate how well orchestrated this whole evening had been.

Miroku sure knew how to throw a party.

The music once again died down as Inuyasha sidestepped between two people, instinctively grabbing at Kagome's hand so she wasn't lost in the crowd. An incredibly drunk group of females got onto the microphone and screamed happy birthday. A few moments later the DJ got back onto the mic, stated last call was in thirty minutes, and the bass dropped once more.

A couple essentially having sex through their clothes bumped into Kagome and she fell into Inuyasha's back. She felt his muscles tighten upon the impact, and nodded at her an 'are you okay?' in response. Kagome smiled at him and nodded, and she felt the grip on her hand tighten.

She was so glad she was drunk. Her eyes honing in on her hand grasped in his, a smile slid from the corner of her mouth. She wouldn't have been able to stomach this without the liquid bravery.

The dancefloor was so crowded, Kagome took the smallest of shuffling steps behind Inuyasha. Their bodies has been pushed so closely together, Kagome's breasts were nestled up against his back. Her cheeks flushed at the proximity.

A man with an unbuttoned shirt grabbed Kagome's free hand and spun her around until her hand was detached from Inuyasha's. She landed directly in front of the stranger stunned, and he began to grind his semi-erect penis against her while asking her simultaneously if she wanted to dance with him.

"Get the fuck _off_ her," she heard Inuyasha wail, grabbing her hand back and pulling her towards him.

Kagome took a few tumbling steps backwards until her back met Inuyasha's chest. Her heart beat ferociously.

The alcohol had fully hit her system and she could barely keep her vision straight. One second she was walking forwards, taking baby steps. Then, next thing she knew she's flying in one direction, and then another. She felt like a human see-saw. She stood there motionlessly, feeling Inuyasha's chest rise and fall behind her as he breathed.

The smell of his cologne entranced Kagome's nostrils, and she leaned her head back until it rested on Inuyasha's collarbone. The music, his scent, the atmosphere. She needed a moment to just close her eyes and remember everything the way it was. Drunk or not, she knew she would never get a night like this again. Opening her eyes, Kagome saw Inuyasha looking down at her. She kept his eye for a while, and then smiled, enjoying her upside-down view of his handsome, symmetrical face. His chest continued to rise and fall.

Before Kagome knew what she was doing, the bass, hammering through her body, caused her hips to begin to roll in a figure eight. Her chest vibrated with the electronic music. It consumed her, and she was so far gone her body had a mind of its own. And pressed up against this drop dead gorgeous man who had been her protector all night? All she wanted to do was dance.

Inuyasha didn't move for a few seconds while he tried to register what had happened.

When her head hit his shoulder and he could feel her warm breath on his chin, he looked down at her and met her eye. He could see the glaze of drunkenness, but he could see her need there too. The conversations from earlier in the week washed over him fiercely. Sango's accusations of Kagome's lust. Kagome's coy acknowledgements that she hadn't been with a man in a while.

It nearly threw him over the edge when he felt her hips begin to move against him. He held his breath, trying to contain the hardness that threatened to develop in response to the attention her massaging ass paid to his pelvis. Her dress so tight, the crease between her buttocks had caught the length of him so perfectly, and as her hips rolled, he felt his mouth grow dry with desire.

Before he could register his next move, Kagome raised her arms and connected them behind his neck, pulling his head downwards, closer towards her. That was all the invitation he needed. He dug his nails into the bony flesh of her hips and pulled her into him. Their heads so close he heard the shallow gasp that left her lips in response to the gesture. Inuyasha could feel the tiny flecks of sequin under the pressure of his fingertips as they dug into the length of Kagome's body.

Their bodies moved together. Kagome's hands clawed at the back of Inuyasha's neck in response to the pressure he applied as he pulled her closer into his body. Kagome could feel him against her backside, then her back, and then her shoulders, as she lowered herself into a squat. Desperately hoping she wasn't too drunk to pull it off, she leaned forward and then sensually rose herself up, taking him against her buttocks once more. She felt a rumbling in his chest. She could feel him fighting the hardness he wanted to give her. She felt so proud of herself.

He responded to her teasing hips by scraping his nails up her thighs. Her dress was so short it only required him to extend his reach ever so slightly to feel the soft, oiled skin beneath his fingertips. He heard her gasp and felt her head crash into his collarbone as he continued to scratch his nails—being mindful to not break the skin—up the length of her milky quad. Kagome's buttocks nestled him between her once more, and Inuyasha couldn't take it anymore.

Having enough of her teasing, Inuyasha reached around his neck and grabbed hold of her arms, spinning her to face him. The dancefloor was dark, but he didn't need a light to see how flushed her face was, to see how glazed her eyes were with need. Her thighs tightened around his legs, and he could feel the heat she was producing against his upper thigh. He couldn't believe the effect she had on him, he on her.

He could only imagine how wet she would be for him right then. It took all of his willpower not to moisten his index finger in his mouth, move her impinging undergarments aside, and find her sacred, feminine place.

Kagome met his eyes with the same challenging look he had seen before. She smiled at him and bit her bottom lip. He could see her eyes bouncing between meeting his and staring at his partially opened lips. A part of him wanted to ask if he could kiss her, to obtain her permission before instigating something he had every intention of finishing then and there. Even if he had to take her into the limo. If she said yes, he had to have her.

The delay in Inuyasha's actions, the delay where he contemplated whether he should ask Kagome if he could kiss her or if he should just go ahead and do it, lasted a second too long.

The DJ's voice replaced the music, announcing the passing of last call—how had he missed the announcement? The two of them must have been in a world of their own—and the house lights flooded the dancefloor. The mystery that lingered in the darkness of the club shattered with the unwanted blast of white light.

People groaned in disappoint around them, and the otherworldly place Inuyasha and Kagome had found themselves in drifted away as they separated themselves from each other, a blush on both their faces.

Before Inuyasha had a moment more to think about what he would say next to Kagome, her friend had found her. Sango wrapped her arms around the girl's neck, apologized for leaving her, and said the two of them should leave. The bar was closing, Sango refused to put a guy before her friend, and said they would hail a cab outside.

Meeting her eyes once more as she was escorted away, Kagome was dragged away from him before he even got to say goodbye.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

So….that happened ;) Haha, stay tuned! More is on the way! Lay on the love, reviews, criticisms, what have you! I'll take it all!


	9. 21 Questions

_**Author's Note**_

This one took a bit longer to write because the details hadn't been pre-planned like most of the others. I had the whole chapter written down as a two-sentence idea.

Hopefully the wait was worth it!

* * *

 **Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _21 Questions_

* * *

Inuyasha threw the magazine down so hard on the table it caused Miroku to jump. It slid across the table and bumped Miroku's elbow.

Inuyasha stood there silently, towering over the side of the table opposite his employee and friend, his eyes scouring Miroku's face for a reaction supporting the rage Inuyasha felt. Without exchanging words, Miroku could feel the tempest building in his employer's presence. Curiosity striking him, Miroku turned his eyes from his phone to the document.

On the front page of the tabloid was an image of Kagome and Inuyasha standing outside together on the patio of _Kobura_. Kagome was looking up at Inuyasha with a smile on her face. She was a vision in her high heels and sequin dress with wavy raven locks tumbling down her back. Inuyasha's arm hovered behind Kagome's back, his open palm almost touching her but not quite. It was clearly a motion to usher her into the building for which he held the door open with his other arm. In large, bolded font the words "Sexy New Romance?" loomed over the two people in the picture. Inuyasha may not have been smiling with his lips, but his eyes squinted in a way that suggested he was pleased, content, or happy even.

Despite the melodrama of the image, Miroku couldn't deny it: they looked well together.

"It's you and Kagome," Miroku said nonchalantly, turning his eyes to observe Inuyasha's expression.

"Yeah, it's fucking me and Kagome. How the _fuck_ is this front-page news?"

Miroku turned his eyes back to the magazine cover. "You saw the media there, Inuyasha. It's hardly a surprise they sunk their teeth into this. As Japan's most notorious bachelor, a close second to me," he said playfully with a wink, "you can hardly blame them. Besides, you haven't been seen in public, like _this_ , with a gorgeous creature of the opposite sex since—"

Inuyasha's growl stole the words from Miroku's lips.

Miroku sighed, his eyes turning back to the image. "Has she seen it?"

Inuyasha growled again. "How the fuck would I know?"

Miroku rolled his eyes. "Sango and I _saw_ the two of you together, Inuyasha," he said, tongue-in-cheek.

"So?"

"Based on how—" Miroku paused pensively— "how should I put it… _wrapped up_ ineach other you were, I would have assumed you left the club that evening with her phone number."

Inuyasha's body dropped angrily into the dining room chair beside Miroku. A pout covered the entirety of his face.

"Sango came for her before I had a chance to ask."

Miroku nodded knowingly.

"What the hell happened there, anyway?" Inuyasha demanded, accusatory eyes ensnared on Miroku's casually-dressed figure. "Kagome was left wandering all by herself, no thanks to you two assholes. Then Sango just shows up right at the end of the night to take Kagome home? What the fuck happened to you?"

Miroku sighed then laughed sheepishly, a hand absently rubbing at the back of his scalp. "She may have not liked how… _forward_ I was by the end of the evening."

Inuyasha snorted and shook his head. "What'd you grab this time? Her chest?"

"Her ass," Miroku sighed.

Inuyasha scoffed. "You and those God damned lecherous fingers. After how obviously you copped a feel when the two of you crashed into each other, I'm surprised she even let you around her, you pervert."

Miroku sighed again and turned his attention back to the cover photo. "It wasn't that _all_ of my affections were poorly received. That Sango is surely something else. Wouldn't you agree, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha scoffed in response.

Miroku sighed. "Will you see her again? Kagome, that is?" he asked, changing the subject.

"She works here, doesn't she?"

Miroku rolled his eyes at Inuyasha's sarcastic remark. " _Outside_ of work, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha sat broodingly, his eyes staring into his lap. Of _course_ he wanted to see her again. After how things had ended between the two of them? Inuyasha mentally shook his head to criticize the warmth developing in his lower belly.

Thoughts of Kagome caused his mind to trail back to the tabloid he had essentially flung at Miroku. Over the years, he had never actually _read_ those celebrity-obsessed Hollywood-esque magazines—God knows the crap and speculation those writers put in those things—but the second he saw Kagome on the cover…he had to know what those assholes said about her.

Before storming into the dining room to accost Miroku, Inuyasha had curiously flipped open the document and read the magazine article. Much to his surprise, Kagome was a shadow, a large question mark throughout the piece. The article focused solely on Inuyasha, pondering his relationship status and commenting on how _coincidentally_ his newest girl looked like his ex.

He felt anger swell in his throat in memory of the comparisons he had read between Kagome and Kikyou, and the ridiculous breakdown and analysis of the picture. Did it really fucking matter that his hand was " _almost but not quite touching the small of her back"_? The words resurfaced to his memory antagonizingly.

 _Arguably, the intimate embrace suggests a chemistry or, dare I say, a protectiveness demonstrated by the mysterious Inuyasha towards our even more mysterious heroine._ _Who is she? How did she ensnare the heart of the enigmatic Inuyasha? Could it be that this woman is the reason KikInu is no more? At this time, we can only speculate so much. After all, this picture suggests more than a platonic relationship. Like all pictures, this too is worth a thousand words._

Inuyasha's eyes turned back to the image. Kagome didn't look _that much_ like Kikyou. Those magazine fuckers just wanted to improve their ratings by continuing to ensure a publicly-obsessed celebrity match-up continued to haunt Inuyasha's future.

KikInu— _Thank fuck that stupid fucking nickname is finally dead_ , he thought—was a thing of the past. But, he recognized that the nickname was a piece of marketing propaganda that had made serious money for the media. Of course they'd want to bring it up whenever they could, with no consideration of Inuyasha's irritation.

The funny thing was that those stupid fucking tabloids didn't know the half of it.

The public had never known he was never all that attached to Kikyou _like that_. Anytime he thought about their former relationship, he felt as nostalgic about it as he did classmates with whom he spent clustered periods of time in his youth. The fact that Kikyou now belonged in his past was nothing for Inuyasha to get choked up over.

Even though the media romanticized the relationship as one that should have led to an engagement, he knew what it really was: a six-year stint of long distance, companionable text messages, and angry rage sex. When they weren't between the sheets, they never got along behind closed doors. Despite how irritating he found Kikyou, and how egotistical she found him, they were both someone to turn to when they were bored.

When they both agreed that this shit just wasn't worth it anymore, Inuyasha didn't really grieve for the ending relationship. If anything, these days, the thing he missed most was having someone to text regularly who wasn't flabbergasted that he was _the_ Inuyasha Taisho.

Kikyou never cared about his past, nor did she ever show an interest in the public's obsession about Inuyasha. Despite the hypotheticals, conspiracy theories, and endless Internet forums dedicated to learning the "Truth" about Inuyasha's involvement with The Band of Seven scandal, Kikyou never once asked him about the trial or investigation into the band.

Inuyasha sighed. Theirs hadn't been a romantic relationship, but it had been a necessary one for both their public images.

For the majority of years they were together, both Inuyasha and Kikyou agreed they only stayed together because it was good for their public selves. Dating the brother of the infamous model and designer, Sesshoumaru, had been good for Kikyou's career; and, as Miroku had said countless times, the more that people obsessed over _KikInu_ , the more they were distracted from The Band of Seven.

Kikyou had been nobody when she first met Inuyasha. She was just some side bitch of Bankotsu's, the former lead singer of the band, and Inuyasha hadn't given her any of his time. The first time they ever really interacted was when he approved her photo for the band's album art and they worked out the details of her commission.

Once her popularity had started to grow, Kikyou hung around a bit while the band traveled the continent. It was good for her image to continue to be associated with the band. However, even though she and Inuyasha had started getting intimate behind Bankotsu's back, Kikyou jumped ship as soon as Kyokotsu was busted with the four grams of heroin. That was when she formally dumped Bankotsu.

When the investigation began, however, Kikyou then stopped all contact with Inuyasha completely. Not that he had really blamed her. Shit was _really_ hitting the fan and her career was just starting. She couldn't afford to be associated with that bullshit.

But she always would be. Regardless what ended up happening to the band, Kikyou couldn't deny that she owed her fame to The Band of Seven.

Inuyasha's thoughts were shortly distracted when Miroku stood from the table with the excuse that he had to go pick up Inuyasha's dry-cleaning. Inuyasha watched him leave following a nod of his head. Turning to his phone and seeing that it was just past seven o'clock on a Sunday evening, Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the realization that Miroku had some other business for which he needed the car, which he wasn't at liberty to share with Inuyasha.

Inuyasha snorted and shook his head. That suited him just fine. He didn't want to know what his lecherous friend got up to past working hours.

Being alone at his sixteen-seater table in his nine-foot ceiling dining room, Inuyasha's sigh partially echoed. He felt frustrated with how things had ended with Kagome.

He scratched his head in frustration. He hated that he had women on the brain.

For days, he had intentionally kept his distance from Kagome, not really knowing how to approach her, not really knowing how to talk to her. Now, after grinding himself into her for an evening, he really had no idea how to follow up with the situation.

He liked that she wasn't like other non-celebrities he'd been around before. As much as the initial _oh-my-God-you're-Inuyasha_ worship amused him, he arguably liked it even more that she seemed to be _normal_ with him. That whole evening, Kagome never gave him the impression that she was overwhelmed with the knowledge of who he was or what he'd been through.

Well, he thought, no one really _knew_ what he'd been through.

But Kagome, at least, had never given him that glazed-over look of idolization that, when lingered too long, made him feel uncomfortable. And for what reason was he popular? Because he was a backup dancer when he was sixteen? Because he wore boxer briefs designed by his brother for magazine photos? Because of the shitstorm that was the band?

Inuyasha sometimes struggled with the premise of his fame, not really knowing why people cared about him so much. When he dipped out of the public eye for stints at a time, it wasn't long until Miroku was contacted by "tribute interviewers", or Inuyasha saw his face on a magazine cover with the words "Where's Inuyasha now?" or "What happened to Inuyasha?" on the front. These days, Inuyasha couldn't escape the fame no matter how low he lay or how long he left the country.

Inuyasha knew that the wave of fame he rode out was primarily due to the calamity of the investigation and the trial more so than any family tie or personal accomplishment.

He was famous for being a fucking conspiracy theory.

It was a few months after the trial when Inuyasha first found the forums on the Internet. His eyes had skimmed the posed questions, the jackass-turned-Private Investigators trying to script a play-by-play of what happened following Kyokotsu's arrest and how Inuyasha was rumoured to be the mastermind who staged the whole thing.

That discovery, seeing what the public really thought of him, had instigated Inuyasha's dark period.

Not only had Inuyasha broken the computer, his phone, and the phones belonging to all his staff, but Miroku then made the executive decision that Inuyasha's old premises would be without the Internet for a while. That was when Inuyasha's lifestyle went off the grid. He had left the public's eye, dyed his trademarked, infamous silver hair black, and spent months at a time traveling America, Thailand, and New Zealand.

Even though he didn't _do_ anything to stay famous, when Inuyasha returned to Japan, he was still as popular as he had been when he left. That was when things with Kikyou picked up again.

"I'm sorry to intrude, sir, but…" The mousy female voice trailed off as Inuyasha raised his head to observe the speaker.

"What?"

The girl wrung her apron in her hands. "There's someone at the front gates. They've been paging quite a few times now and, well, I wanted to see if you were expecting someone."

Inuyasha sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Did anyone think to ask who this person is?"

She flinched at his words. "It's a woman, sir. I'm not the one who responded to her; but since Mr. Houshi is not at home, protocol is to approach you about the call. Whoever she is, sir, she won't seem to go away. She's quite adamant."

Inuyasha stood, his eyes cool and uncaring. "I don't give a fuck who answered the damn call. Get back on the intercom and tell them to get the fuck off my property!"

The girl's face frowned fearfully. "Shiori tried, sir. The woman is insistent that she must see you."

Inuyasha groaned. "And no one thought to get her name? What do I _pay_ you idiots for? How many times has she rung?"

"Six, sir," she grimaced.

"Get her name," her barked. "I'm not letting some fucking random woman onto the property. Got it?"

"Yes, sir!" she squeaked, before turning and disappearing from his sight.

Pressing his palms into the table, Inuyasha stabled himself, feeling his backside begin to ache from the hard wooden chair. Turning out of the room, and navigating the halls of his family's heritage home, Inuyasha allowed his body to collapse into the welcoming plush seat of the sofa in the first floor library.

He wasn't seated there two minutes before the same girl—shit, what _was_ her name? Inuyasha thought—appeared.

"Sorry to intrude again, sir," she spoke quickly, flustered. "The woman outside? She says her name is Kagome Higurashi. She says she has business with you?"

Inuyasha leaned forward in his seat and rested his forearms on his knees. Before his mind took off, questioning what Kagome was doing here on a Sunday evening, he instructed the girl to have Shiori open the front gate to allow Kagome entrance. The girl curtsied then scurried away.

Inuyasha felt so flustered he had to stand. Sticking his hands in his front jean pockets, he began to roam the first floor of his house. Various questions beginning with 'why' formed in Inuyasha's head: Why was Kagome here? Why did she want to see him? Why now when they would see each other when she came to work tomorrow?

After rounding the front foyer once, Inuyasha decided he didn't want to appear antsy once Kagome got there, so he ignored the knots forming in his stomach and returned to the library. Sitting down on the sofa—this time feeling somewhat claustrophobic by how closely the cushions hugged his legs—he waited impatiently for one of his housing staff to escort Kagome to him.

What felt like hours, but was really only five minutes, passed before a soft knock on the library door caused Inuyasha to raise his head.

"A Ms. Higurashi here to see you, sir," a different woman said with a slight bow of her head before extending an arm to motion Kagome into the room.

Kagome ushered a quick 'thanks,' to the maid before turning an amused smile to Inuyasha. Her expression almost felt as if she was offering him a non-verbal ' _ta-da_ '.

Inuyasha took in the sight of her, barely inside the room. She wore black tights and a long royal blue tunic cinched at her waist with a thin belt. A jean jacket was thrown over one arm, which she clutched to her stomach. Her hair was down, straight and not as well-groomed as the other night, but still looked well-looked-after. Her face was delicately made-up. She wasn't the sexy vixen from the last time he saw her, but she was the same Kagome that drew his attention and appeal.

"Hi, Inuyasha," she finally said, releasing a breathy laugh through her nose.

Despite the inclination to return the pleasantry, Inuyasha couldn't help the "What the hell are you doing at my house?" that stumbled out.

Kagome chuckled awkwardly and gripped the jacket at her stomach. "I know it's Sunday and I have no reason for showing up like this. I'm…" She paused for a few moments. "I'm sorry for showing up like this," she continued, turning her eyes downward. "I know it's really inappropriate for me to be here. I just…

"I just…" she repeated. He heard her release a heavy breath. "I just felt badly for how I ghosted you Friday night. I had a really nice time with you, and I can't thank you enough for being around when some of those jerks got handsy with me."

She stopped speaking at the growl she heard curdling in Inuyasha's throat. To try and lighten the mood and simultaneously relieve some of her anxiety, she laughed at herself, saying, "I was really in the bag." Seeing how non-responsive he was to her, she cleared her throat and continued her rambling. "But after it was just you and me for a while, then Sango just showed up and she said Miroku was perverted with her, and I know I just left without saying anything to you and…" she finally slowed down to catch a breath. She turned her eyes slowly to meet his. "Long story short, I didn't feel right with how things ended."

"So you decided to show up here?"

She laughed nervously in response.

"You're lucky I was home," he responded, crossing one leg over the other.

"I didn't really think about it too much, actually." She smiled nervously at him. "I just sorta realized that I had no way of getting in touch with you, and I didn't feel right just letting things go until Monday. So I got in my car before I could talk myself out of it."

He snorted. "So you just came over for shits and giggles?"

Kagome couldn't hide the blush that came over her face. "I—uh—well, I wanted to apologize to you."

"And you couldn't wait until you came to work tomorrow?"

Kagome pouted. "I didn't know if I would see you during my working hours. We never seem to cross paths during the day." She released a tense sigh then asked, hesitantly, "Is it okay that I'm here?"

Inuyasha snorted. "Well, you basically harassed my staff to get in here, so that doesn't matter now, does it?"

Kagome pouted and said, "Well, no, I realize my showing up was kind of reckless, but I didn't _harass_ anyone." Inuyasha could hear a mild temper building in her voice. "I understand the importance of household security, especially for someone as famous as you, but whoever I was speaking to wasn't even willing to give you my _name_." She paused to take a shallow breath, calming herself. "I thought—" Kagome stopped herself and shook her head. "If this was a mistake, if you don't want me here outside of work hours, please just tell me."

"I didn't say I don't want you here," Inuyasha blundered, his eyes wide.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable," she pressed. "I know your rules are that you don't want us in your house so—"

"I'm not uncomfortable! Don't put words in my mouth," Inuyasha griped, beginning to feel flustered. "If I didn't want you here I'd say I don't want you here."

Kagome smiled slightly. "So I can stay?"

"Sure, yeah, whatever," Inuyasha stated, motioning the comment away with his hand.

He watched a broad smile take over her features as she moved to sit down on one of the other couches. Inuyasha turned his face away from her slightly, worried she would see the slight flush that had appeared on his cheeks.

A gentle knock on the door distracted him shortly from the hollowness developing in his stomach. Despite their confrontation, he still couldn't really believe that Kagome was in his house.

"Sir?"

"What?"

"Kaede has prepared some light snacks for you and your guest. Shall I bring the refreshments here or would you like to take them outside?"

"The patio's fine," Inuyasha said, nodding his head to dismiss his staff.

Kagome raised her brows, turning over her shoulder to watch the woman walk away. "Wow, you have so many people who work here."

Inuyasha snorted. "You've seen the size of this place. Obviously I can't look after the dump myself."

Kagome looked around her, taking in the mostly-wooden contents of the room: flooring, bookshelves, desk, panelling on the walls.

"It's not a dump at all. The remodelling turned out really great."

"Remodelling?"

Kagome blushed and bit her bottom lip. "Oh, uh, I saw you on that show with Molly? You said you redid the inside of your dad's house? It turned out really nicely."

Inuyasha scoffed at Kagome with a raised eyebrow. "You watch that shit TV?"

Her eyes widened. "No—not ever, actually. I was just at Sango's and it was on and, well, I hadn't met you then and I dunno," she laughed nervously, "I was just curious, I guess."

"Curious about me?"

Kagome flushed and nodded.

"Why?"

"'Cause you're famous," she laughed in an _obviously_ sort of way. "I can't say I've ever met a celebrity before."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and stood then with a groan. "The snacks and stuff will be outside by now."

"Oh," Kagome said, rising to her feet. "That's really kind of you, but I don't need anything—I—"

Inuyasha walked past Kagome, heading out of the room before she could finish her thought. Kagome's few first steps caused her to skip to keep up with Inuyasha.

He led her through a large, high-ceiling hallway and she couldn't help but peer into the many rooms whose doors were open as they passed. She swore that the house was so large at least three generations of families could live in it comfortably, along with all their wait staff. He led them through a large, dark cherry-wood modern kitchen before walking into the sunroom. Kagome's eyes couldn't keep up with her there was so much to take in.

Hearing the sound of a door bolt unlocking, Kagome turned to look in front of her to witness Inuyasha opening one of the French doors for Kagome. The scene in front of her almost caused her to gasp audibly.

By the time she had driven her Corolla the forty minutes to Inuyasha's house, it was already beginning to get dark. The colour of the sun in the sky was getting to that point of evening where you knew the sun wasn't much longer for this world. When she crossed the threshold of Inuyasha's house, the sky's brilliant pink-orange was already turning purple.

Now, after spending some time inside with Inuyasha, the warm evening colours had been replaced with periwinkles and dark purples, and the cloudless sky revealed bright, white evening stars.

The patio, which Kagome had only ever seen during the day, took on a whole new presence after the sun had set. The beige-coloured canopy housed small white lights that swooped in curved arches like multiple "w's" along the underside of the cloth. She noticed the same lights were wrapped around the wooden legs that held up the circus-like tent. Looking into the distance, streams of white light billowed up every tree trunk throughout the backyard of the property, illuminating the forested yard and giving the atmosphere a faint, haunting glow.

A handled wooden tray sat on the glass tabletop. Atop the tray was a stainless steel bucket containing a bottle of white wine, and various fruits, meats, and cheeses arranged masterfully on a rectangular marbled cheeseboard.

Kagome gulped nervously and stepped outside onto the patio, listening to the _whoosh_ of the glass door closing behind her. She watched Inuyasha sit himself down on the edge of a lush cushion and she quickly followed suit, sitting adjacent to him on another seat.

Placing her jacket and purse beside her on the couch, Kagome watched Inuyasha lean forward and lift the wine bottle from the ice bucket. Uncorking the bottle, Kagome watched the gorgeous golden liquid _blub-blub-blub_ to the centre of her tall champagne glass. She took a deep breath and reached for her glass, muttering a small thanks to Inuyasha before welcoming the cool, dry taste of the fizzy liquid in her mouth.

"It's delicious," she gasped with a wide smile after taking a hesitant first sip.

"It's the only wine I drink in the summer," he responded, leaning back onto the seat and resting his arm along the length of the couch.

"I understand why," she said, smiling at him. She watched him turn away from her and focus his gaze on the contents of his glass.

Taking another small sip and allowing a reactionary smile to take over her face, Kagome raised her head to look up at the canopy lights and then behind her.

"It's so beautiful out here. The perfect summer night."

"It's alright, I guess," Inuyasha responded immediately.

Kagome laughed through her nose. "How long have you lived here?"

"A couple years."

"You said it used to be your dad's?"

"Yeah," he said, his tone laced with melancholy.

Kagome's brow furrowed. "I'm sorry if I said something to upset you, Inuyasha…"

"Nah," he declared, taking another sip. "I'm fine."

Kagome licked her bottom lip. His tone suggested otherwise, but Kagome knew it wasn't the time or place to argue him about that.

"Did you have fun on Friday?" Kagome asked, gripping the cool glass tightly in her hand and looking over at him.

"It was alright. It wasn't my party."

Kagome smiled and asked, "Well, did Rin have fun, at least?"

Inuyasha snorted. "If she remembers any of it."

"Whatever those servers were carrying _was_ delicious," Kagome laughed, justifying his comment. "I had quite a few."

The corner of Inuyasha's mouth rose into a knowing, playful smirk and he turned his golden eyes on her. The look caused Kagome to gulp.

"You _were_ pretty drunk, Kagome."

"I had a _few,_ I suppose," she retorted, taking a sip of her wine.

"Yeah, right," he snorted, "a few too many, maybe."

"I know my limit, alright?" she argued, a defensive yet somehow combative smile showing itself. "I can look after myself."

Inuyasha leaned forward, accepting the challenge. "You can, can you? Tell me, Kagome," he began, angling his body to face her, "What led to us spending the night together?"

"Wha—what?" Her eyes widened and her mouth opened.

Inuyasha's cheeks flushed with horror and he shook his head. "Not—not like _that_. Don't be a pervert, Kagome, you know what I meant. You knew what caused us to meet at the bar."

Kagome recalled the man who had placed a large hand on her belly and his grip on her wrist. Her cheeks turning pink, she turned a knowing look to Inuyasha.

"Everything was under control."

"My ass it was!" Inuyasha barked. "You were petrified of the idiot. If I hadn't come along—"

"I already said thank you for that, didn't I?" she interrupted, her eyes full of fire.

"Well," Inuyasha sputtered, turning his eyes away from her, "you need to be more cautious of your surroundings when you're drinking, idiot."

"What like right now?" she teased.

Inuyasha turned a pouting expression towards her. "That's not what I mean."

"Well, I'm drinking now. I'm already one glass deep. Are you saying I need to watch myself around you?"

Kagome's inner voice was going wild. Sure she had maybe not eaten too much today, and the one glass of wine may have left her feeling slightly buzzed, but what was she saying? Kagome knew she could be playful, but this? Really? She shouldn't be egging him on like this.

Kagome gulped.

Inuyasha didn't respond to her comment, instead, she watched him lean forward and refill her empty glass, and then his. Kagome's eyes watched him carefully after that.

She took in the tight almost-black jeans he wore. The merlot-coloured t-shirt that teasingly revealed his collarbone. She watched the ends of his hair wisp over the back of the couch whenever a soft breeze picked up. She saw the silvery glow that lit his face from the canopy lights hanging overhead.

When Kagome had sat in her car, trying to muster the courage to accept the consequences of her actions and ring the intercom at Sengoku Manor, she would never in her life pictured this. She didn't even know how the events would have played out. She had called Sango asking if celebrities even answered their front doors, and Sango simply laughed at Kagome and bid her friend good luck. Kagome had gulped nervously before getting out of her car to push the round black button of the intercom. The entire time the tinny female voice spoke back to her, Kagome couldn't stop the flashes of memory that appeared of her and Inuyasha on the dance floor. She could still feel the tingle of his nails grazing up and down her thighs.

Kagome sighed as she breathed in a lungful of summer, country air. Her eyes turning to Inuyasha, she smiled. He had such a larger-than-life presence about him. Even if Kagome had been blind, she would have known he was near her by the magnanimous air he exuded. The way he carried himself could be somewhat intimidating, yet at the same time, the curious and sometimes juvenile look in his eyes was so inviting.

A part of Kagome wished she hadn't sat so far away from him.

She felt herself jump in reaction to seeing his eyes catch and return her curious gaze. Their visual exchange didn't feel like the first time they had made eye contact, but his glance still had an intrigued innocence about it. To them both, it felt like like they were trying to figure out who the other was simply by looking at them.

After another few sips of wine, Kagome finally burst into giggles and their visual exchange ended. After a few more minutes of silence, Inuyasha finally asked her what led her into the landscaping business and a few hours later the two of them were deep in conversation, two bottles of wine in.

They hadn't touched the food that had been prepared, and, after returning from the restroom, Kagome and Inuyasha at some point ended up side-by-side. Kagome's legs were tucked underneath her as she leaned on her right hip, her right elbow draped over the back of the couch. Inuyasha had both arms arched over the back of the seat, his mostly empty wine glass tight in one hand.

They both laughed in response to the conversation's topic.

"I was nineteen," Kagome said, her cheeks pink. "You?"

"Fifteen."

"Oh my God, that's so young!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "It's not _that_ young."

Kagome raised her eyebrow in response, saying, "That is really young, Inuyasha. How do you even know how anything works at that age?"

Inuyasha squinted his eyes at her. "It wasn't young," he disputed, narrowing his eyes. "But forget it. It's my question now."

"That _was_ your question," Kagome argued with a laugh. "It's my turn. Umm…"

Inuyasha watched with fascination as her eyes roamed the ceiling of the canopy for inspiration for her next question.

"What's your favourite thing about being famous?"

Inuyasha laughed in his throat and turned his eyes towards the glass in his hand. "There's nothing that great about it."

Kagome scoffed, saying, "I don't believe you for a second. There has to be _something_ you like about it."

Inuyasha sighed and leaned forwards, grabbing the bottle and emptying the drops remaining into his and Kagome's glasses. She thanked him, then turned hungry eyes onto him, eager for his response.

"It's allowed me to travel," he said finally, still not meeting her eyes. "I've always had the freedom and ability to just up and go anywhere I want. I wouldn't have that luxury if I weren't famous."

She leaned back and tiled her head to the side in contemplation. "Doesn't that get old though?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Well," she mused, "if you just wanted to up and go to California you could go right now if you wanted to, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"See, I like planning," she replied, a soft smile directed at Inuyasha. "I like the anticipation. I like having something to look forward to. If I could just get on a plane at any second and take off, I feel like it would lose some of its appeal to me. I mean," she laughed, waving a hand in the air, "don't get me wrong. I would _love_ the ability to travel the world without having to worry about the financial side of things, but the mystery and romance, and the general _thrill_ of exploring would be lost.

"Is that not the case for you?" she asked, finally.

Inuyasha shrugged. "You think too much about it," he scolded, his eyebrows still raised.

She laughed and nodded her head saying, "I know. It's a character flaw."

He smirked. "There's worse flaws to have."

"What's one of yours?"

Inuyasha shook his head at her with a smile. "You already asked your question. It's mine now."

Kagome dramatically rolled her eyes and took a sip of her wine. Her head was spinning but in the best way possible. She felt entranced by Inuyasha's presence, by the wine, by the ambience of the night around her.

It had initially been her idea to play 21 Questions; however, that had been at least an hour ago. Kagome lost count of how many questions they had gone back and forth. She guessed they had to be at least past 50 questions by now, but neither she nor Inuyasha seemed to care. They seemed too lost in the appeal of getting to know each other.

Kagome, in particular, felt too lost in the appeal of being so near Inuyasha.

"It's still your turn, you know," Kagome reminded, her eyes meeting his playfully.

Inuyasha sneered at her, said he was still thinking, and they returned to their silence.

Kagome finished the contents of her glass by the time Inuyasha asked his next question.

"Not that I care or anything, but how come you've never asked me about the band?"

The question shocked Kagome and she blinked at him several times, digesting the question he had directed at her.

"Oh, um," she responded, taking a second to mull over an answer in her head. Finally, she laughed gently, and looked back into his glowing amber eyes. "Honestly? It's none of my business."

Inuyasha stared at her, the confusion of her words clearly visible on his face. "You actually don't care?"

She smiled. "It's not that I don't care. I said it's none of my business. I try to think about it if our roles were reversed. If I was you, I wouldn't want my entire life to be defined by one part of my past. Just because my life had been made public to everyone, doesn't give everyone the right to know all about my private life, you know?"

Inuyasha turned his head away quickly, unable to fathom the words he was hearing.

She shrugged. "Plus, I figured if you wanted to talk about it, you would. You haven't, so I won't bug you about it."

"So you haven't read all the blogs and magazines and fucking stupid forums guessing what really happened?" Inuyasha asked blankly, his demeanor darkening.

Kagome smiled idly. "I've never really been someone who cared too much about celebrity news and gossip. I won't lie," she laughed, covering her mouth with her hand embarrassedly. "I didn't know who you were when I first took this job."

Inuyasha felt floored. "You're fucking joking, right?"

Her stomach exploded with laughter. "I'm really not. Sango had to tell me."

He couldn't the smirk that overtook his features. "You really do live under a rock, Kagome. You weren't kidding."

She laughed and shrugged her shoulders in response.

Their laughter dying down and becoming replaced by the sounds of insects in the trees and the natural sounds of nighttime, Kagome sighed, closed her eyes, and rested her head on her arm along the back of the couch.

"It's so peaceful out here. I'm a little jealous."

"It's one of the best things about this place," Inuyasha replied gently. "I can't imagine living in the city."

"It's not all bad," she replied drowsily. "This is really nice though."

There was silence for a few minutes between them before Inuyasha chose to break it.

"Kagome?"

"Hmm?"

No response from him caused Kagome to open her eyes and raise her head slowly, her eyes locked on his face in curiosity.

"You okay, Inuyasha?"

He wouldn't return her look, so she angled her head somewhat until she was within his peripheral vision. She saw his golden irises slowly turn to his left to acknowledge her.

Kagome couldn't help but lick her lips in response to the look her gave her. The whites of his eyes looked glassy and seemed to shimmer as they darted back and forth between her eyes. His lips were tightly drawn together and Kagome saw the tightness in his jaw from his clenching his teeth together.

"Inuyasha?"

He didn't respond to his name verbally, but he sat up slightly and turned his head to face Kagome directly. His left arm still draped across the couch, his other fell into his lap as his body turned. Kagome couldn't help but gulp. While they had talked, the two of them had been sitting close enough that her bent knee touched the side of his thigh.

Kagome dropped her hands into her lap and felt her eyes pacing between his, eager to understand what the look on his face meant. She had an idea, but she couldn't be sure. Kagome knew how her body responded to him. Despite her trying to ignore it all night, she felt how rapidly her heart had been beating, especially whenever topics of a sexual nature came up. Past relationships, losing their virginity, things they look for in a partner, things that drove them crazy about their exes, their worst first date ever.

Kagome's heart had been a rhythmic pulse inside her ribcage while they bantered and teased and poked and talked.

Kagome having withdrawn inwardly for the briefest of moments, she hadn't realized that Inuyasha had moved closer to her. She guessed his face had to be five fingers away from hers. Her eyes jumped to life and couldn't decide whether they wanted to observe his semi-parted lips or the intoxicating look in his eyes that wouldn't break their gaze on her.

"Inuyasha?"

The question was soft and almost inaudible leaving her lips. She watched his eyes almost seem to close as they dipped downwards to watch his name form and dissipate on her lips, reddened from being bitten and licked nervously.

He had made the mistake on Friday of wanting to ask her if he could kiss her, worried that he was taking advantage or picking up signs prompted by intoxication. But this entire evening, he hadn't been ignorant of how she responded to him, how she looked at him.

She was coyly brave when she was sober. But that coyness seemed to disappear ever so slightly the more she drank. Even though he could tell in how she composed herself that she still had her wits about her, Inuyasha couldn't deny that he liked how 'Buzzed Kagome' enjoyed goading him on. Instead of challenging his flirtations, she responded to them with her own.

Yes, he wouldn't make the same mistake as before. He knew her body was responding to him, alcohol-be-damned. He saw in her eyes and from how she bit her lip that she wanted him to kiss her.

He could only imagine how delicious the inside of her mouth would taste, having marinated for hours in the sweetly dry beverage they had both enjoyed.

What was once maybe four fingers of space between them was down to two now. He could feel her breath on his face, taste her panting, wanting release of air through her parted lips.

Their noses touching ever so slightly, Inuyasha heard Kagome's rush of breath and gulp, and he watched her bite and tongue her bottom lip.

"You need to stop doing that, Kagome," he whispered hoarsely. It was barely a whisper, barely a groan. She wouldn't have heard him if she was any further away.

He could feel his heart blaring from the centre of his chest it was beating so heavily in expectation. He knew he was torturing himself, teasing her like this. He could read Kagome well enough to know she wouldn't take it upon herself to close the distance between them. He knew she was waiting for him to finally take her mouth, to claim her as his conquest.

"Why?" she breathed.

Their lips were so close, Inuyasha couldn't tell if he could feel a tickling sensation on his lips. He couldn't tell if it was the feeling of her lips moving as she mouthed the question, or if she was just so close he could feel the words projected from her lips. Their eyes were still searching, longing, seeking.

"Because—"

Inuyasha was certain their lips were touching. Grazing. Just barely, but just enough that he could taste her breath as clearly as his own. He swore he could feel the soft, dry pillow of her bottom lip as his nose caressed the bridge of hers.

"Otherwise, Kagome, I might—"

A woman's scream. The sound of glass shattering. Every single light went out.

These three things happened simultaneously, causing Inuyasha to withdraw from Kagome, coldly, fearfully.

He swore under his breath, but it was still audible to Kagome. Her lips and throat were dry as she sat in the darkness. Her eyes not yet adjusted to the dark that she couldn't make out Inuyasha. She was so stunned by the suddenness of everything her stomach felt sick.

She felt the couch cushion dip and then release as she felt him stand.

"Inuyasha?"

"Stay here, Kagome," he barked, the ice in his tone causing Kagome to jump and raise a frightful hand to her chest. "Something's not right."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

*Spastically rubs at goosebumps on arms*

Sorry (not sorry) for the cliffhanger. I promise the next chapter will be one to remember :D65


	10. Traitor

_**Author's Note**_

Welcome to the main plot! (^-^)

* * *

 **Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Traitor_

* * *

Inuyasha released his white-knuckle grip on the door handle once the door lay open beside him. Taking a hesitant step forward, the blackness of the house molded around his body as he stepped into it. His eyes scouring for a sound he could recognize, the silence was loud in his ears.

"Inuyasha," he heard Kagome cry as he stepped further into the darkness. "Please be careful."

He inwardly smirked. Even Kagome could sense that something wasn't right.

His eyes slowly started adjusting to the dark. Thanks to the moonlight pouring through uncovered windows, he could begin to make out objects and shapes. However, it was still so dark that even the shadows had shadows. Standing in the middle of the kitchen, he still couldn't hear anything. Nothing about this situation could explain the scream or the glass shattering noise he heard. He had a suspicion why the power was out in the entire house, but he dared not give those thoughts life.

Inuyasha's mouth-breathing was loud in his head as he traced the palm of his hand against the wall to find the front hall staircase. His eyes had to refocus once he was no longer in the kitchen's light. Standing at the bottom of the stairs and looking up, Inuyasha gripped the rail and froze. He tried to force his ears to exemplify their power to pick up some trace of evidence.

This place was too fucking quiet.

Where were his staff? What the hell made that noise? Who the fuck screamed?

The skin between his eyebrows felt tight from furrowed pressure. He had heard screams like that before, the pleading noise someone's throat conjured up right before they died. Inuyasha forced the thought from his mind as he began to ascend the stairs. Standing on each floor's landing, Inuyasha paused. For a few seconds he would lower his body closer to the ground as if the gesture would help his hearing. First floor: nothing. Second floor: nothing. Third floor: still fucking nothing.

Standing on the landing on the fourth floor, Inuyasha's attuned hearing finally heard something. It was barely there, but it was enough. The sound of a door trying to be closed gently.

Turning to his right, Inuyasha steadied himself as he walked down the hallway, slow enough to allow his senses to read his environment. The way he felt his body moving, he could feel his muscles recoiling like an elastic before its release. He knew he was preparing himself for an attack. He couldn't help it. This whole situation screamed 'danger'.

The sound of a muffled cry, then a low frequency human growl—almost like a chest rumbling—came from behind the closed door at the end of the hallway. Flexing his core, Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, hoping the action would help him see better. Then he gripped the doorknob in his hand.

The door opened with a groan, and there were no sounds to greet him. The brightness of the room was the first thing he noticed when he peered through the crack in the door. It wasn't enough of a gap for his body to fit through, but it was just enough for his eyes to scour for something out of the ordinary.

White curtains flapped madly in the breeze. Inuyasha realized the windowpane had been broken and shards of it lay all over the floor rug. Turning his eyes lower, he felt his breath catch. The body of a maid, unmoving, lay amongst the fragments and shavings.

"Fuck," Inuyasha hissed to himself, rushing into the room and crouching beside the woman's body. Pressing two fingers to the side of her neck, Inuyasha growled low in his throat when he couldn't feel a pulse.

She was dead.

The curtains wrapped around his body protectively from where he crouched, a pseudo act of comfort. Violently grabbing the sheer material into his fist, Inuyasha sidestepped over to the window to peer out into the night. It took all of his willpower not to tear the damn things from the rod bolted to the wall. He turned his narrowed eyes downwards. A metal ladder was pressed up against the side of the house.

Inuyasha inwardly swore. That changed everything. As he had initially suspected, but didn't want to admit, someone was in the house.

Taking a step back, Inuyasha's mind leapt to try and make sense of everything he had seen. The ladder and the broken glass was self-explanatory: the closed window had been smashed by whoever climbed the ladder wanting to get in.

Inuyasha's eyes turned to gaze at the corpse, his pulse raucously noticeable in his chest.

 _She must have been in the room when…_ Inuyasha clenched his fist and gritted his teeth together. _That mother_ fucker!

The familiar click of a gun cocking caused Inuyasha to freeze. His spine straightened, his stomach was hollow.

"Long time no see, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha's eyes snapped open, clarity and realization drowning him. _It can't be,_ he thought. _That voice_ …

Another muffled female cry and blubbering followed the greeting. He turned slowly on his heel, bending his knees to steady himself. Inuyasha wasn't at all prepared for the emotional and psychological blow. It all felt like a bad dream.

Inuyasha sneered. "Don't tell me I'm your first stop out of prison, Kyokotsu. Did you miss me that much?"

The man returned the snigger and pressed the barrel of his pistol against the temple of the maid he held against him. Her face was scrunched up behind the giant hand clamped over her mouth. Her muffled tears slipped through the cracks of Kyokotsu's fingers. Inuyasha watched her glassy eyes dip to take in the sight of her dead colleague and she shrieked behind the claw. Her blubbering echoed throughout the room.

"You know why I'm here," Kyokotsu hissed, his long almond-shaped eyes focusing on Inuyasha. "You fucking traitor," he added when Inuyasha didn't reply.

"Oh please," Inuyasha snapped, straightening his back. His eyes alternated between Kyokotsu and the maid in his grasp. He needed to find a way to get her out of here. "You brought this upon yourself, you fucking idiot."

"We're all getting out," Kyokotsu laughed maniacally, his bloodshot eyes narrowing. "All of us. The Family saw to that. And, trust me, Inuyasha," he muttered, his low voice cracking. "The Family will see to you."

Inuyasha tightened his fists, his eyes scouring Kyokotsu's visage—his spikey green hair held back by a hairband, his gargantuan form, his bulging, broad shoulders. The asshole hadn't changed one bit.

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose in irritation. "Get the fuck out of my house before I kill you."

Kyokotsu laughed a hearty, belly-shaking laugh. "That's all you have to say to me after all these years apart, brother?"

"I ain't your brother," Inuyasha spat, his words venomous.

"You are," Kyokotsu whispered threateningly. His words floated through Inuyasha's head long after they were uttered. "You will be 'til death. You know it. I know it. The rest of the Family knows it, traitor."

"Get the fuck out of here!" Inuyasha screamed, his throat hoarse.

He couldn't stand here and listen to this shit. This was supposed to be behind him. They were supposed to stay behind bars. They were supposed to fucking rot to their maggot-eating bones and leave him alone. But they're all getting out. Inuyasha's stomach clenched with the repetition of Kyokotsu's words.

They're all getting out.

The next few seconds happened too quickly for Inuyasha to comprehend and react.

Kyokotsu promised Inuyasha he would suffer for his betrayal. Pushing the barrel deeper into the woman's temple, Kyokotsu's finger hovered over the trigger. Inuyasha lunged in his direction, his arms out. He was prepared to grab the woman's upper torso and pull her away from Kyokotsu's maddening form. But he wasn't fast enough. The bullet left the barrel. Her body hit the floor. Kyokotsu's maniacal laughter echoed through the room as he released the dead body from his grasp and it collapsed onto the floor. Inuyasha then watched Kyokotsu propel his gargantuan body into the hallway, disappearing into the darkness of the house.

Inuyasha fell to his knees screaming, mentally begging the spirits of the two women to forgive him. How did this happen? How did he allow this to happen? His eyes shook with rage as he turned his head back and forth to perceive the blood, the unmoving bodies.

Getting to his feet, Inuyasha released a primal, guttural yell that somewhat sounded like Kyokotsu's name. With fists so tight his nails broke the skin of his palm, Inuyasha hurled himself into the hallway. He rebounded off the wall and propelled his body down the hallway, sliding to a stop as he approached the stairs. He mentally promised the dead women he would avenge their deaths.

"Kyokotsu!" Inuyasha screamed at the top of the stairs, his chest heaving. Noises from a few floors down caused Inuyasha's neck to snap in that direction.

With widened eyes, Inuyasha hopped the railing and swung himself onto the next level. He did the same to reach the second floor, swinging his body to land crouched on all fours.

Standing, his environment blended together as Inuyasha's eyes jutted all around him. He knew this house better than anyone did. Kyokotsu wouldn't be able to hide for long. Inuyasha would find him, and he would kill him.

* * *

Kagome had eventually stood once Inuyasha disappeared into the house. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was horribly, horribly wrong. Inuyasha's order to 'stay here' forced her not to enter the house, despite her worry and her curiosity. Not knowing what else to do, she began to pace.

Until she heard the gunshot.

For fear of Inuyasha's life, Kagome couldn't force her limbs to move fast enough to get into the house. Her arms flying in front of her madly, Kagome tripped, only to regain her composure by coming into contact with a wall. Her fingers pressed against the cool, painted drywall. She took a deep breath, her chaotic heart the only thing she could hear. She needed to stay alert. She needed to find Inuyasha.

 _Please, God. Please don't let Inuyasha be dead._

That led her to her next fear. Who had the gun? Was Inuyasha the shooter? How did a gun even get mixed up in all of this?

Her fingers trailing the wall, Kagome headed into the kitchen. Taking in the bit of light let in by large windows, she sighed. Facing into the hallway, Kagome strained her ears to try and listen. She cursed herself for being so worked up that she couldn't hear anything over her frantic heartbeat.

Kagome's entire body seized up when a cold hand reached around and covered her mouth. Kagome tried to scream as she felt her back press tightly against a masculine chest. She kicked her legs violently, lurching her body forward.

"Kagome," a familiar voice hissed directly in her ear, squeezing her arms to her side. "Kagome, it's me. Miroku."

Clenching a hand to her chest, as if hoping to physically stop her heart from lurching out of her chest cavity, Kagome spun on her heel. Miroku released her quickly; however, he stood close, keeping his hands on her biceps. He opened his mouth to speak before she had a chance to say anything.

"Kagome, listen to me. You are in danger here, do you understand me? I scoured the property, and I've seen three of them. I heard the gunshot. I don't know if the others have a gun. You need to get out of here and call the police, immediately. Do you understand?"

"Inuyasha," Kagome screamed in as silent of a whisper she could muster. "He's here, Miroku. He ran in here as soon as the power went out. I need to know that he's okay."

Miroku's eyes were saturated with concern. Turning his eyes to the ceiling, he released a tense breath.

"I promise you, I will find him, Kagome. I just can't, in my right mind, allow you to stay here and endanger yourself. Inuyasha would kill me if I allowed that to happen. _Please_ ," he stressed. "Get out of here."

Kagome opened her mouth to speak but Miroku shushed her. His body tall and erect, gazing into the hallway's darkness, she instantly understood his reaction. Two whispering male voices were approaching the kitchen. Grabbing her arm and pulling her along with him, Miroku crouched behind the kitchen island, yanking Kagome down beside him. He exchanged a look with Kagome that she knew to mean _stay quiet_ , and she held her breath. Her breathing was so laboured she thought she might choke.

"Do you think he got him?"

"Nah, he would have come got us if that were the case."

"So what's that fucking retard doing, then? Shooting up all the staff? Fuck, it was a little unnecessary when he snapped the neck of that bitch when we first crawled in here, but really? We just need Inuyasha dead. It's not a hostage situation."

"Keep your fucking voice down!" the other hissed. "We don't know who else is in the house."

The other man's tone caused Kagome to suspect he rolled his eyes in response. "Well, this house is too _fucking_ big. It's like a giant game of hide 'n' seek just to find anybody in here. How the fuck is Kyokotsu supposed to find Inuyasha in here, anyway?"

"Will you _please_ shut your fucking mouth? We're supposed to be keeping watch."

" _Pfft_ , then maybe we shouldn't have cut the electrical cables."

The sound of a gun cocking caused Kagome to jump, but Miroku gripped her bicep tightly to keep her from moving.

"I swear to God, I will _shoot_ you in the _fucking_ head."

The other released a throaty laugh. "Don't be a bitch, Mukotsu."

"Then stop running your mouth, _Ginkotsu_."

Kagome felt Miroku go rigid beside her and she turned a frightful, questioning gaze to him. Turning his head to meet her stare, he gave her an almost apologetic look. A moment of silence caused him to cock his head to the side to see what was happening with Mukotsu and Ginkotsu.

Footsteps echoing in the main hall of the house suggested the two men on whom they had eavesdropped headed away from them. Before Kagome could say something to Miroku, she heard Inuyasha scream a man's name, a name she just heard spoken: Kyokotsu.

Suddenly, a colossal thud shook the structure of the house. Loud masculine grunts and curses emanated somewhere above her and Miroku's heads. Animalistic roars reverberated a floor above them. Turning her gaze upwards, knowing one of those voices belonged to Inuyasha, her heart began to ache; the combat sounded so violent.

Another crash caused her to shudder and withdraw into herself. Flakes of the ceiling floated down and landed on the counters around them.

"I need to help him," Miroku said, turning steeled eyes towards her. "If this becomes three-on-one, Inuyasha will stand no chance. _Please_ , Kagome. Get out of the house. Get to safety. Call the police. I promise you I'll return."

Before she could argue, Miroku shot up and took off out of the kitchen, leaving her alone to her fears and assumptions of the worst. She fought the urge to cry as she got to her feet. She leaned her body against the counter, immobilized by fear.

Kagome knew the smart thing to do was as Miroku said. She knew she should leave, but her legs refused to move. More pieces of the ceiling's drywall crumbled around her following another violent thud, causing more crashes and things to shatter.

Her eyes searching for answers in the dark, her hands were shaking. Kagome screamed and crouched down at the sound of another gunshot. Covering her head with her hands, Kagome couldn't help the few tears that found a way to escape down her cheeks.

 _It didn't hit him. He's fine. Inuyasha's fine_ , she repeated in her mind, rocking her head from side to side gently.

" _Heh_ , I thought I heard a little mouse."

Kagome's head shot up in fear at the voice. Still crouched, she strained her neck upwards to stare into the face of one of the men she and Miroku had spotted.

Thinking on her feet, Kagome screamed Inuyasha's name as loudly as she could. Before the last syllable of his name left her lips, the man in front of her charged at her, knocking her to the ground. The back of her skull cracking into the tile, Kagome's eyesight waned and she felt light-headed. Lolling her head to the side, she pressed her cheek into the cool ceramic tile. She felt her body being rolled over and large hands clasping her wrists together behind her back. The man tugged her to her feet. Blinking her eyes furiously, Kagome tried to focus her eyes on her attacker. He had large round eyes with small, beady pupils. His mouth formed a large, almost inhuman smile. She tried to work out which of the two men—Ginkotsu or Mukotsu—this man could be, but her trail of thought was interrupted. She heard another thud upstairs before all was silent in the house.

"What have you done with Inuyasha?" Kagome shrieked, trying to jerk her body free.

The man simply laughed. "Only what he deserves."

"He doesn't deserve any of this!" she argued, her eyes wide. "You're the ones who broke in here. You're the ones with _guns_. If one of you gets hurt, it's your own damn fault! Inuyasha's just trying to protect himself!"

He rolled his eyes and simultaneously brought the back of his hand across Kagome's cheek. The flesh stung and caused immediate tears to appear. As she tried to turn her head away from her attacker, he gripped her chin between two fingers and painfully tugged her face toward his.

"Hey, I recognize you," he clucked, narrowing his eyes a few inches from her face. "You're that girl on the cover of Arama! Magazine. You're Inuyasha's new girl."

Kagome's eyes widened fearfully. _What magazine? What picture?_

He chuckled a throaty laugh then released Kagome's chin painfully. "I wonder what Kyokotsu will have to say about this."

Suddenly, Kagome heard crashing from somewhere just outside the kitchen, followed by Miroku yelling.

"Mukotsu!" The familiar tone of Ginkotsu's voice screamed from the darkness. "Get your ass over here! There's another one!"

More grunts and crashes followed the comment.

"I can't!" Mukotsu grumbled, his eyes turning to Kagome's face. "I have a prisoner! I have Inuyasha's girl!"

"Get over here _now_!"

Mukotsu swore under his breath then pushed Kagome to the floor. She grunted when her bottom crashed onto the uncomforting floor. Her laboured breathing ragged, she looked up at him anxiously.

"The Family will want you," the man sneered. Kagome could feel his eyes leering over her body. "You will stay here until I return. I swear to God, if you move girl…" He pointed a finger at her. "You don't want to imagine the things the Family would do to you."

"You don't want to imagine the things _I'll_ do to you, you bastard."

Inuyasha's low, strained voice was a welcome one to Kagome's ears. Relief washed over her in waves. She couldn't help the tears that escaped out of sheer respite that he was okay.

"Inuyasha," she whispered, closing her eyes and releasing a thankful sigh.

"Did he hurt you, Kagome?"

Kagome looked up and saw Inuyasha standing in front of her with his arms out, facing Mukotsu. The man was backed into a corner.

"No," she groaned, getting to her feet. "I'm okay."

Mukotsu saw the way Inuyasha responded to her, the way he wanted to turn toward the girl and comfort her. That magazine had been right. The bitch was Inuyasha's newest weakness. Knowing he could use that to his advantage, Mukotsu released a devilish chuckle.

"The woman lies, Inuyasha. I hit her over the head. She's bleeding, concussed, probably. She doesn't know what she's saying."

Inuyasha turned then, his body angled to face and inspect Kagome, worry on his face. Before Kagome could scream that Mukotsu was lying to him, the man slunk out of the kitchen before Inuyasha could grab hold of him.

"What's happening Inuyasha?" Kagome cried, her throat sore from so much intense whispering and laboured breathing. "Why are they doing this?"

"I'll tell you after, Kagome."

That was all he said before taking off after Mukotsu, leaving Kagome alone in the kitchen.

* * *

Inuyasha could feel the dried blood on his clothes. His arm had finally gone numb from where Kyokotsu shot him. Inuyasha had him pressed against the wall, intent on choking him to his death, before Kyokotsu drew his weapon and pressed it into Inuyasha's bicep. The gun had been so close Inuyasha was confident the bullet fully passed through him.

That didn't mean it didn't fucking hurt. Thankfully, though, the adrenaline and pure anger coursing through his body made the pain bearable. At least for now.

Standing once again in the hallway, Inuyasha's breathing was arduous. His chest quivered with each inhale from exhaustion. He could have killed Kyokotsu if he hadn't heard Kagome scream his name. She didn't listen. That stupid bitch didn't listen. She didn't stay put. She followed him into the house, and she put herself in danger. Inuyasha had tore himself away from the conflict to find her then. He may have failed to protect those two women, but he would not fail to protect Kagome.

Now, he was eager to get back into it. His rage felt rejuvenated. He was prepared to finish where he left off, and that meant tracking down Kyokotsu once again.

Inuyasha crouched at the base of the stairs, straining his ears for sounds revealing the whereabouts of any of them. He fought Kyokotsu. He saw Mukotsu. He remembered Molly Woo's words that three of seven were on parole. Inuyasha suspected there was one more asshole roaming the property. He had to find them before they found him.

A gunshot echoed throughout the house. Standing erect, the unexpected sound took Inuyasha by such surprise he couldn't place its origins. The sound of a body collapsing followed, and he knew it came from the fourth floor. Pushing his body to ascend as fast as he could, Inuyasha stood on the landing of the fourth floor, trying to filter through the silence for a sound, for a direction.

Then he heard it: "I'm sorry. _Fuck_! Kyokotsu. Kyokotsu? _Fuck!_ _No-no-no-no_. God _dammit_! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Over and over again, the melancholic voice whispered, like a chant. Turning his head over his shoulder, Inuyasha saw the large crumpled pile that was Kyokotsu's dead body. The form of another was crouched over him.

At the sound of Inuyasha's feet approaching, the chanting man looked up with a gasp. There was just enough light for Inuyasha to identify the shooter as Ginkotsu. Inuyasha would have recognized that hulking red-haired beast anywhere.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Thanks for doing my work for me," he crowed menacingly, cracking his knuckles as he approached Ginkotsu.

The man stood, his arms flailing around him as he tried to get his bearings.

"It was an accident! I didn't know it was him," Ginkotsu blubbered, his eyes stuck on Kyokotsu's body. "I heard a noise. I thought it was you. Fuck it all to hell, I thought I killed you! I didn't mean to kill him. I didn't know it was him."

"Feh," Inuyasha spat. "You were always a pussy. You never did have a backbone. You always brought them all down. Can't even tell your own fucking enemies apart."

Ginkotsu's raving, mad eyes locked on Inuyasha. "You don't get to speak to me like, you _fucking traitor_!" His voice gave out from the intensity of his wail.

A growl ripped through Inuyasha's teeth as he threw his entire body towards Ginkotsu. The man dodged, then spun on his heel and ran down the hallway. Inuyasha growled. He hadn't been able to knock the man down, but at least he had caught Ginkotsu off-guard and he left the pistol behind. Leaping over Kyokotsu's corpse, Inuyasha was hot on Ginkotsu's trail, bouncing off walls when his speed was too much for the sharp angled hallways of the 18th century house. Turning one more corner, Inuyasha saw Ginkotsu disappear behind a door, slamming it behind him. The frame shook in its hinges from the force.

Inuyasha froze.

He could have begun hyperventilating he was so full of rage. He hadn't been in his father's office since his dad died. Now, he had to go in there, disturb his father's things. He growled in frustration. He had to enter that fucking room because that asshole was in there.

Inuyasha gulped out of impulse, despite the dryness of his mouth. His hand shaking, he threw open the door. Nausea and nostalgia hit him in the face simultaneously.

The moment the door opened, Ginkotsu screamed and drove himself into Inuyasha's body, slamming him into the floorboards of the door's threshold. Scrambling to stand, the two of them scrapped. Inuyasha was clearly the stronger of the two, having no troubles removing his arms from Ginkotsu's grasp and throwing all his strength into a punch.

Inuyasha's knuckles came into contact with the cartilage of Ginkotsu's nose. His nose cavity crunched and collapsed under the pressure, blood seeping from Ginkotsu's nose. Following the blow, Ginkotsu's body went flying across the floor, sliding into Inuyasha's father's desk. The items atop the desk shuffled. A billow of dust floated upwards and disappeared in the darkness. A picture frame crashed to the floor and shattered.

Ginkotsu rolled around the floor, cupping his face, uttering a combination of apologies to Kyokotsu and grimaces about his aching face. While his enemy was down, Inuyasha knew he had to act. He had failed to act before and that led to a maid's death. It had allowed Kyokotsu to get away. He wouldn't fail to do what he needed to do again.

Spinning on his heel, Inuyasha knew what he was looking for.

His father had loved those swords. As far back as Inuyasha could remember, they were mounted delicately on the wooden crest attached to the wall, the blades crossed just above the hilt. They hadn't been touched in years. The antiques brought a rush of emotional congestion to Inuyasha's chest. The blades were the dullest and most lacklustre he'd ever seen them in his life. Of course they were dull, his father wasn't around anymore to look after them. The memories were overwhelming. Inuyasha hadn't dared to step foot in this room after the house became his. When he attended the reading of his father's will. His breathing slow and painful, he couldn't believe that two inanimate objects could have such an enormous presence.

Inuyasha swore at himself as he heard Ginkotsu stand behind him. Nostalgia had caused him to lose his advantage of time. Inuyasha gasped for breath as Ginkotsu threw his weight into Inuyasha once more. Ginkotsu attached his upper torso to Inuyasha's waist, tackling Inuyasha to the floor.

Ginkotsu was in an unstoppable rage. He wanted blood.

He split the skin on his knuckles against Inuyasha's cheekbones, causing Inuyasha's head to whiplash against the floor. With his other arm, Ginkotsu punched Inuyasha in the eye. Then his fist connected to Inuyasha's side, trying to break a rib. Before continuing his assault on Inuyasha's face, Ginkotsu noticed the wound on Inuyasha's bicep. Screaming maniacally, he pushed his index finger into the wound, laughing at Inuyasha's screams in pain. Blood continued to seep from Ginkotsu's nose where Inuyasha had shattered it.

Rage overpowering his inertia, Inuyasha kneed Ginkotsu in the groin, forcing the man off him. Ginkotsu toppled in a heap onto the floor. Struggling to breathe, Inuyasha stood on shaky legs, wiping the blood away from his lips with the back of his hand. He laughed at Ginkotsu's cowering form. The strained, tired laugh revealed bloody teeth within Inuyasha's mouth.

He watched Ginkotsu struggle to his feet.

"Fuck, you don't know when to give up, do ya?"

Ginkotsu groaned, crouched over. He spat a wad of blood onto the floor, wiping at his jaw afterwards.

" _You're_ the one who doesn't get it, Inuyasha." He stood up, looking weak on his feet. "It doesn't matter if you kill me. It doesn't matter that I killed Kyokotsu. It doesn't even matter if you kill Mukotsu—"

 _So there_ is _a third person here._ Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"—The Family knows what you've done, Inuyasha, and they're not pleased."

Inuyasha scoffed, taking a tentative step behind him. He knew Ginkotsu was going to try and take Inuyasha by surprise. He wanted Inuyasha's guard down. Inuyasha inwardly chuckled. He would let the asshole monologue, but the second he tried to jump Inuyasha one more time Inuyasha would be ready.

"I don't give two _fucks_ about the Family. I'm fucking glad what happened to you assholes. You all deserve to rot in a God damned cell for the rest of your miserable lives."

Inuyasha bent his knees, preparing himself for the impending attack. Ginkotsu only had one move, and he couldn't use his large size to an advantage if Inuyasha was expecting it. He knew Ginkotsu would try to tackle Inuyasha to the ground, but Inuyasha had a plan.

"What, don't tell me I tired you out already," Inuyasha goaded, taking another step backwards.

A growl seeped between Ginkotsu's lips.

The next few movements happened just as Inuyasha anticipated.

Ginkotsu lunged at him, but Inuyasha was able to dodge the towering form just in time. As Ginkotsu stumbled against the wall and tried to regain himself, Inuyasha was quick on his feet. He grabbed one of the swords from the mantle. Two hands gripping the hilt, Ginkotsu took no time at all to dive at Inuyasha once more. The roar that exploded from Ginkotsu's mouth became a bloody gasp as the blunted edge of the sword yielded little resistant into Ginkotsu's midriff.

Inuyasha grunted as Ginkotsu skewered himself onto the blade. He turned his eyes away from Ginkotsu's face, not interested in watching the life fade from his eyes. The blade became even heavier as gravity claimed Ginkotsu's lifeless hulking mass. Releasing the blade with a groan, Inuyasha watched the man and the sword hit the floor.

Falling to his knees, Inuyasha took an agonizing breath. His arm ached and his head was pounding. Scuffling feet in the hallway drew Inuyasha's head upwards. Trying to muster the stamina for another battle, Inuyasha sighed heavily with relief. Miroku stumbled into the room, blood coating his hairline. His face contorted in pain as he sat himself down by Inuyasha's side. Taking in his employer's visage, he silently motioned toward Inuyasha's arm. The room was alive with the sound of them both trying to catch their breath. Inuyasha merely shrugged away Miroku's gesture.

"Kagome?"

"She's out front waiting for the police."

Inuyasha nodded, closing his eyes. "Good."

"I saw Kyokotsu," Miroku sighed. His eyes could barely take in the sight of Ginkotsu's bleeding body.

Inuyasha snorted. "This idiot," he said, motioning with his chin, "killed him by accident." He paused to release a laboured breath. "Mukotsu?"

"He's dead," Miroku sighed, wiping the blood away from his scalp.

"Good," Inuyasha sighed.

Sirens grew in intensity to finally blare in all directions around the house. Inuyasha grimaced, the sound causing his head to pulse in pain.

"Kyokotsu said the Family knows."

Miroku turned, open-mouthed towards Inuyasha. "So this isn't an isolated event."

Inuyasha growled deep in his chest as four police officers stormed into the room, weapons leading the way. Men's voices and threats conquered the former silence of the house. Putting his hands above his head in a gesture of peace, Inuyasha turned to Miroku. His eyes shone with concern.

"It's just getting started."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

I've honestly never written a chapter like this before in my life. Please be gentle with your reviews! I'd really love to know how it was received.


	11. Dead Famous

**Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Dead Famous_

* * *

"Kagome! What happened at the house?"

"Ms. Higurashi! Over here! Tell us about Inuyasha!"

"Kagome! How is your head? Did you receive any other injuries from—"

"—Kagome! Did you know any of the band members who were kill—"

"When did you meet Inuyasha?"

"Kagome! Are you and Inuyasha really an intimate couple?"

"Ms. Higurashi! Kagome! Just one question! Please Kago—"

The car door slammed behind her as she crawled across the seat. She blinked her eyelashes franticly to dispel the orbs of light clouding her vision from all the flash photography. Her heartbeat sounded ravenous in her ears, and she couldn't fight the sinking, hollow feeling pooling in the pit of her stomach. Releasing a mouthful of air through tight lips, Kagome collapsed her head against the headrest of the limousine, closing her eyes in the process.

Kagome's eyes flew open upon hearing taps on the dark tinted windows. She released another heavy breath in appreciation that the people surrounding the car couldn't see her. Did they really think she would roll down the window to take their questions? Kagome shook her head incredulously.

Turning over her shoulder, Kagome peered through the open privacy window into the front seat of the limo. Through the windshield, she could see the driver, an elderly gentleman of at least sixty or seventy years old, struggling to wade through the hordes of people. She scoffed audibly; how was it even the _driver_ grappled to make his way into the car?

But the driver had come into contact with Kagome Higurashi, the media's newest obsession, and Kagome now knew that _that_ type of celebrity is contagious.

Despite his petite, frail form, she had been grateful the man had escorted her to the car after buzzing her eighth floor unit. With a bony elbow and wrist protectively around her shoulders, he became a barrier between her body and the mass of people, holding out a hand to make a clear path to the car.

Turning to face forward in her seat, Kagome stretched her aching legs. The back of the limousine was so spacious; Kagome figured she could easily stretch her entire five-foot-seven body on the floor. The tapping on the window continued and Kagome gazed through her peripherals to take in the personnel crowding the vehicle and pressing their faces against the windows.

They had been waiting for days outside of her apartment in hopes of catching a glimpse of Kagome. Now, she was merely centimetres away from them, shielded from their questions and photos by a bulletproof pane of glass. Kagome's eyes roamed the faces of her onlookers, her mind racing.

 _Two days. I became a national sensation in just_ two _days._

Sunday night had turned into the early hours of Monday morning as the police and emergency service vehicles surrounded the house. EMS workers climbed out of an ambulance and guided Kagome to a seat on the back of the vehicle. A female with the bluest eyes Kagome had ever seen wrapped Kagome's shoulders in a large, woolen blanket, which Kagome clasped tightly in her fists under her chin. From her perch, Kagome had watched helplessly as armour-clad officers stampeded through the front doors. After a moderate inspection of her person, the workers determined Kagome had a concussion—at least that explained the throbbing headache.

Despite the questions asked of her—what happened, are you okay, where does it hurt, rate the pain between one and ten—and the quiver that shook her entire body, Kagome refused to take her eyes off the house.

She had needed to know that Inuyasha was okay.

Sitting in the quiet of the car, the sounds of the mob outside were reduced to a shushed muffle. Kagome closed her eyes introspectively.

After he ran from her side, Kagome had no idea what had happened to Inuyasha. She remembered standing alone in the kitchen, scared out of her wits that Mukotsu would come back for her as promised. Miroku's words of escape causing tears to sting her eyes, Kagome had pitched herself forward. Her arms outstretched and waving madly in front of her, Kagome tried to navigate her way out of the house. The sounds of violent conflict shook the very foundations of the house as she mentally urged herself forward.

Her shuffling steps throughout the first floor of the house had been a struggle. Kagome tried to navigate hallways in which she had never been, entered monstrous rooms with vaulted ceilings she had never seen. After minutes of searching, Kagome had eventually felt the stairs' railing against her fingertips, and she released tears of relief. The entire time she wandered, Kagome had held her breath, terrified that at any minute Mukotsu would lunge at her from around a corner and fulfill his promise to get her.

But Inuyasha. She hadn't seen him again after that.

She remembered standing in the dark foyer, discombobulated by the sounds of men's shouts and screams from upstairs somewhere. Somewhere to her right she could hear another brawl, this one closer to her. Her proximity to danger and the sounds of men fighting for their lives scared her into immobility. The generic crashing sounds of things falling to the floor and breaking caused her to jump. The sounds of struggled breaths, and frantic, brutal skin-on-skin contact rang loudly in her ears. The coldblooded violence was so much closer than Kagome would have liked.

She recalled recognizing one of those screaming voices on the first floor as belonging to Miroku.

Kagome's hands covered her face in memory of standing, uselessly, immobilized by fear at the front door. She could hear Inuyasha's bellowing, she could hear his screams. She was scared for him. She was scared for Miroku. She had been scared for herself.

Finally, the sound of a gunshot had scared Kagome enough to move again. Her ears rang as the sound echoed throughout the foyer. It happened just feet from where she stood. Kagome recalled the sound of a body, crumbling and thudding against ceramic tile.

Fumbling for the door and without turning back, Kagome had then thrown her body into the cool, welcoming arms of night as uncontrollable tears plummeted down her cheeks.

Running up the treed driveway of the manor's property, Kagome's mouth-breathing was loud in her throbbing head. With shaking hands, she groped through her pockets for her phone. She had been an incoherent, blubbering mess when her fingers were finally able to dial for the police; and somehow, she was able to convey to the police operator a patchwork explanation of what had happened.

Standing outside the rod iron gates, her isolation, fear, and tears didn't last long before sirens, like banshee wails, split the silence of the night and surrounded her.

"We're ready to leave, miss."

The voice of the male driver drew Kagome out of her introspection. Uncovering her face, she blinked her eyes curiously until her current reality finally settled. She was sitting inside the car Miroku had sent for her.

Nodding her head, as if the man could see her, Kagome slunk lower in her seat. She clasped her hands together and tucked them between her thighs. Her body moved in time with the car slowly lurching to life. She watched the camera flashes slowly slip away past her line of sight as the car rounded a corner.

Every media platform had sensationalized the attack on Sengoku Manor. Ever since Monday morning, both the news and the Internet could not stop discussing the incident at the house.

The world learned that the paroled band members broke into the house bearing weapons. Two climbed in through a fourth-floor broken window, likely killing two household staff in the process. One had broken a window to climb into the basement, cutting the power to the electrical box.

The world learned that the break-in led to five fatalities.

The world was told that Inuyasha had been shot, but wasn't in critical condition. The newscasters even speculated that Inuyasha had likely killed the invaders in self-defence; however, the police had yet to comment on that fact.

And the world was told that Kagome had been there.

Kagome had woken up in a hospital bed, her mother and Sango by her side. Kagome's mom had been told the hospital wanted to keep an eye on Kagome to ensure her concussion wasn't the result of an even graver brain injury. Sleeping for most of Monday, her mother had cried tears of relief when Kagome finally opened her eyes. After hugging tightly her best friend in the world, Sango directed Kagome's attention to the CCTV that hung in the corner of the room. Kagome couldn't obtusely ignore the news now, and her heart couldn't bear what she saw.

Kagome Higurashi was now a household name.

From the moment the media caught wind of what happened at Sengoku Manor, they pounced. The magazine photo that first introduced Kagome to the world was the cover of every large newspaper across the country. It was the first image that appeared when Kagome's name was typed into every Internet search engine. Media personnel—including Molly Woo—interviewed Kagome's old schoolmates, hungry to know who she was and why she had been at Inuyasha's house when the attack had happened. Her mother's cellphone vibrated constantly, her voicemail box filled within minutes from requests to interview the family.

The media speculated intimacy and romance as pictures of Inuyasha's patio somehow appeared on the screen. When Kagome saw the evidence of her evening with Inuyasha, when she saw the stilled images of the empty wine chiller and their two glasses, she asked her mom to turn off the TV. Kagome couldn't take it.

The world knew that during the Sunday evening before the attack, she had been at Inuyasha's doing God-knows what. Her _mom_ knew she had been at Inuyasha's that night. Her memory burned with the publics' hunger for knowledge, asking if she had been there to stay the night, if she had a room in the giant house, if she went to Inuyasha's often.

Kagome couldn't stomach the reality that the media preyed on her out of their obsession for Inuyasha. The world wanted to know her with such intimacy that they were going to lengths to track down her old university roommate, former teachers and colleagues. Even poor Souta had been cornered when leaving a friend's house, harassed by reporters to provide input on his sister's relationship with Inuyasha.

Sitting in the unnerving quiet of the hospital room, Kagome's mother had been the one to break the silence, tears in her eyes. She wanted to know what Kagome had been doing at the house.

"Are you really dating that man, Kagome? How could you not tell us?" her mother had asked with hoarse, carefully selected words. "How could you let us find out this way?"

Kagome had turned her face away, unable to provide a response.

She wanted to say it wasn't what the media made it out to be. She wanted to say she and Inuyasha weren't intimate like her family heard speculated on the news. No matter what explanation or excuse Kagome thought up, she realized that, at the end of the day, she _had_ been at Inuyasha's drinking wine and spending time with him.

Hell. She almost even _kissed_ him.

For these past two days, Kagome's relationship with her family became strained. She couldn't explain what happened. She couldn't apologize enough for the sudden hordes of people flocking to the Shrine, hungry with questions about Kagome. She couldn't explain to her mother, brother, or grandfather that she was still respectable, that the intimacy they heard about was unfounded.

But how could she contradict the forums, blogs, social media posts, and reputable news anchors who claimed that Kagome was Inuyasha's new scarlet woman? How could the media make something like that up? Especially when they had a picture of Inuyasha and Kagome together, when they had evidence of her romantic evening in the backyard with Inuyasha?

She couldn't explain it. But even if she could, her mother would never understand.

Kagome opened her eyes when she felt the car stop and she heard the driver put the car in park. The car door slammed and she turned her eyes out the window to her left to watch the driver approach the front door of Sango's apartment.

A few moments later, the driver escorted Sango into the vehicle. There were still media personnel with cameras to their faces the moment Sango appeared in the front hallway. Not as many as those at Kagome's apartment, but still just enough that Sango was given a hard time to make her way into the car.

Climbing into the car, the driver safeguarding her from the camera flashes, Sango sputtered "fucking piranhas," before turning her eyes to Kagome.

Before the driver could close the door completely, Sango leaned forward and wrapped her arms protectively around her friend's neck. Kagome drew Sango into her, clutching at Sango's shoulder blades tightly, grateful for the supporting contact.

"How are you, Kagome?" Sango finally asked after ending the embrace. She took a seat across from Kagome in the back of the limousine.

"I've been better."

Sango turned to look outside as the car began to drive away from her apartment. "It's fucking chaos out there. I can't believe this. I can't believe any of this. They see me once leaving the hospital with your mother and then _bam!_ they're all over me! Jesus," she sighed, releasing a heavy breath. "It's been a long few days."

Kagome released a tired sigh then nodded in agreement. Just having her friend near her improved Kagome's spirits so much. There was such comfort in the familiar presence of her lean, lifelong friend.

"I feel like this is a little excessive," Kagome commented, her eyes roaming the ceiling before landing on the mini-fridge on the opposite side of the vehicle. Kagome could make out fanciful French cursive writing on a bottle of champagne. Upside-down glasses bookended the fridge, clinking against one another in response to the car's motions.

A smile grew from the corners of Sango's mouth. "I agree that the car is bit much. I mean, can you imagine how much this thing probably cost to buy?" Sango shook her head before turning her vibrant, mascara-covered eyelashes towards Kagome. "But the public has gone crazy over what happened at the house. Between the party on Friday and this? You're a big deal now, Kagome. It's only fitting you have an escort like this."

Kagome snorted in response and rolled her eyes incredulously. "This is so _crazy_ , Sango. All of this! I can't even grasp the magnitude of what's happened. I mean," she paused, turning her eyes to the ceiling, "I'm still _me_ , Sango. I'm still just Kagome."

Sango nodded in understanding and crossed her leg over the other. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I know you're you, Kagome," she replied softly.

Kagome shook her head. "But they're making me out to be something I'm not, some _one_ I'm not." Kagome raised her head sharply, tears burning behind her eyes. "They make me out to be some kind of whore, Sango. I'm just Inuyasha's new side piece, a makeshift replacement for Kikyo. How can they say that? They have no idea what has happened between him and me. They have no idea who I am."

Tears began to tumble freely down her cheeks. "We're not a thing," Kagome cried, turning her tear-soaked eyes towards Sango's. "Inuyasha and me aren't an _item_. I went there to _apologize_ not to _fuck_ him! Why are they making up these _lies_? Why am I being punished like this?"

Sango immediately rose from her seat and took crouched steps towards Kagome. Her leggings shushed against the leather seats as she turned her body towards Kagome, clutching the girl's right hand in between both of Sango's.

" _Shh_. It's okay, Kagome. It'll be okay," Sango tried to comfort. "It's what they do, Kagome. I know it's not fair, and I know it's not true. But it's what the media does. They obsess, and they conjecture, and they fester, and it's _sick_. You're a good person, Kagome. You shouldn't question that."

Sango sighed, squeezing Kagome's hand in hers. "It's not fair, Kagome. You don't deserve this. I'm so sorry this is happening to you."

Kagome sighed and rested her cheekbone on Sango's bony shoulder, the pressure forcing her one eye closed slightly. She sniffled, wiping away the tears with her free hand.

"I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but have you heard from him at all?" Sango asked, turning a hesitant glance to Kagome. Without naming him, Kagome instantly knew Sango meant Inuyasha. "I mean…he must know what's happened. How your face and name, fuck even where you _live_ , has exploded all over the Internet. What does he have to say about it?"

Kagome snorted and forced herself to sit upright. A restlessness began to stir within her.

"Nothing," she expelled, her eyes roaming the seams on the expensive leather seats across from her. "I haven't heard from him."

Sango's eyebrows furrowed. "But, isn't this his car?"

Kagome nodded. "Totosai said he was commissioned by _Miroku_ to drive me around."

"Totosai?"

"The driver," Kagome answered, nodding her head over her shoulder to motion towards the driver. Sango bowed her head in understanding.

"So the public believes that you and Inuyasha are this romantic new big deal, and Miroku gives you one of Inuyasha's cars to be shuttled around in?" Sango shook her head in disbelief, calling Miroku a fucking idiot in her mind's voice. "It's not exactly denying it."

Kagome nodded, the truth of Sango's claim weighing heavily on Kagome's shoulders. A quiet and popping "yep" left her lips.

"Do you know why Totosai came for you today? Or me, for that matter?"

Kagome shook her head. "It was a surprise for me. I haven't left my apartment in two days."

Sango bit her lip as another thought came to mind. "Have you heard from Kouga at all?"

Kagome snorted a breathy laugh. "Would you believe he's the one who told me to take the week off? My second week on the job and I'm not even working. My life is a disaster."

Sango squeezed Kagome's fingers in response to the melodrama leaving her friend's lips. Sango couldn't blame Kagome's reaction. This was all so surreal. The subject of Inuyasha in the media alone was explosive; however, the world now had another person to sink their teeth into, to turn to, to rejuvenate their decade-long obsession with Inuyasha.

"What did he say though?"

Kagome released a sputtering laugh, her phone suddenly feeling very heavy in the back pocket of her jeans. "Which time?"

Sango's eyebrows tightened. "What do you mean?"

"He's called me at least three times."

"What?" Sango cried sceptically. "For what reason?"

"Well," Kagome sighed. "The first time was to say he saw the news and wanted to know if I was okay. The second time was to tell me not to worry about work. That my job would be there for as long as I needed time away to look after myself. Then, the third time was to tell me that their contract with Sengoku Manor was cancelled."

"Cancelled?" Sango echoed, her eyes searching Kagome's face for the answers.

Kagome nodded. "Apparently Inuyasha has doubled his security measures and that means no one is being given access to the property."

"But what about all the work on the gardens and stuff? All of that is only half-finished."

Kagome shrugged. "Apparently it's gonna stay unfinished then."

The topic of work weighing heavily and guiltily on Kagome's mind, she turned a raised eyebrow to Sango.

"Speaking of work. How are you not working right now?"

Sango shook her head at Kagome and sympathetically rubbed the back of Kagome's hand with her palm. A look of hesitation fluttered from Sango's eye.

"I told you on Monday. I quit."

"You quit!?"

Sango laughed. "You don't remember this conversation, Kagome? I told you at the hospital. I didn't feel right putting energy into this job when I should be taking the time to find something in my field." Sango sighed and turned her wide brown eyes to her friend. "After seeing all that's happened with you and Inuyasha, and the house. I just couldn't do it anymore. You said you understood," Sango trailed off, guilt rising heavily in her stomach.

She knew it wasn't an easy decision to make. After all, she felt reckless and irresponsible for rashly taking on a commitment she just couldn't morally commit to. She felt guilty, as if she were abandoning Kagome, but Sango knew that her friend, at the end of the day, would want Sango to do what was best for her.

Kouga had been understanding when Sango went into the office on Monday morning to submit her notice of resignation. In memory of their confrontation, Sango shook her head with a smirk on her face. Maybe four or five sentences that escaped his mouth were related to Sango's leaving. It was evident, however, that his thoughts were preoccupied on Kagome.

Sango laughed to herself. She wasn't at all surprised to hear that Kouga had called Kagome three times.

After turning in her work shirt, Sango had received a phone call from Kagome's mom explaining she received a call that Kagome was in the hospital due to a concussion. She offered to pick Sango up to take her to the hospital; however, Sango just said she would take a taxi.

When Kagome finally came around, combatted her mom about moving back to the Shrine, and was ready to leave the hospital, Totosai and the limousine had been there waiting.

Live video feeds displayed the front of the hospital, stating Kagome had been admitted into the hospital overnight for sustaining head injuries. Media vans and reporters with cameras hanging around their necks drank coffee and socialized in the front parking lot, just outside the patient release exit. They were no worse than vultures.

Sango hadn't been at all surprised that the car had been waiting, or that Miroku or Inuyasha had known where to find Kagome. It turned out that everyone now knew where to find Kagome. Now that someone was always watching, her privacy had been completely eliminated.

Once the car dropped Kagome off at her apartment, she hadn't left for two days. Looking out her windows, she saw civilians with posters and lawn chairs swarming the sidewalks, and reporters hungry for the first interview or photos of Kagome since returning home. Not able to face her new reality, she tried to distract herself with movies and books. She did whatever was in her power not to turn to the news or the Internet, eager to know what blasphemy was being shared about her.

The whole situation made Kagome's stomach hurt.

Sango's verbalized musings drew Kagome out of her lamentation. "Do you think maybe Inuyasha feels responsible for getting you wrapped up in all of this? The car could be his way of apologizing for everything. I mean, you told me Mukotsu wanted to abduct you because he recognized you from a photo with Inuyasha? Kagome, that's really scary shit."

"I know, Sango." Kagome sighed. She leaned backwards in her seat, not appreciating the reminder of events from Sunday night. "I'm honestly surprised my mom didn't forcibly drag me back to the Shrine with her."

Sango laughed, her warm eyes sparkling at Kagome. "She tried," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. "She just raised a really stubborn daughter."

Kagome scoffed. "I'm not 15 years old anymore though," she grumbled. "I moved out of that house _years_ ago. I hate that she still treats me like a baby. Shit happens," she argued. "That doesn't mean I need to move back home because of it."

Sango squeezed Kagome's fingers. "Yeah, but you're _her_ baby, Kagome. You always will be. I mean, put yourself in her shoes. Imagine turning on the news Monday morning and seeing your daughter's face mixed up in all this shit. I mean, a celebrity break-and-enter, murder story? Your mom must have had a heart attack. She had no idea about your new job, and then she hears gossip that you're dating the scandalous _Inuyasha_? Of course she overreacted."

Kagome withdrew her hand from Sango's grasp to cross her arms under her breasts. A pout was visibly present on her features. "Whose side are you on here, Sango?"

Before Sango could speak, Kagome opened her mouth to release a tense exhale, her anger directed at her friend dissipating. "But you're right. I know I worry her, and you don't have to explain how messed up this situation is. I mean—I don't want to be _famous_. I just wanted to stay in this landscaping job to earn a living and then find a new teaching job when the school year started up again."

She groaned and ran a frustrated hand across her face. "This is so bad, Sango."

"It'll be okay," the older girl tried to comfort. "At least Inuyasha is trying to make amends for—"

" _Miroku_ is the one who arranged the car, Sango," Kagome interrupted with stern eyes. "I haven't heard from Inuyasha since I saw him at the house on Sunday. Jesus, I didn't even know he was _shot_ until I saw it on the news." She bit her lip, trying to focus on her breathing to prevent tears from appearing.

Sango smiled. "But Miroku is Inuyasha's errand boy," she consoled in a softened voice. She could tell Kagome was emotionally unbalanced and the topic of Inuyasha was causing Kagome to teeter on the edge. "Once you talk to him, I'm sure—"

"Pardon the interruption, miss; but, we're here."

Kagome turned over her shoulder to look at the expansiveness of Sengoku Manor outside her window. Had that really been twenty minutes already? Ever since Sunday time was flying around her. Kagome felt helpless, vulnerable. Where had all her agency gone?

Kagome hadn't noticed the gates opening for them after Totosai pushed a button on the car's visor to open it. She hadn't even noticed the shadows dancing through the car's windows as they drove underneath the treed canopy.

The car having pulled up in front of the stairs leading to the front door, Kagome felt her stomach dip nervously.

Why was the car sent for her today? Why were she and Sango here? Was Sango right? Could Miroku have acted because of Inuyasha's instructions? Could Inuyasha really have been worried about her and that's why he commissioned Totosai to be her personal driver?

Kagome's head hurt with her unanswered questions.

The girls sat in silence in the presence of the intimidating house until Totosai opened the double-doors of the car, allowing the girls to exit.

"Totosai," Kagome said meekly, accepting the older gentleman's hand to step out of the vehicle. "Do you know why we're here?"

Totosai's large, vague eyes turned to meet Kagome's. "I'm not sure, miss. I only received a page from Mr. Houshi to pick up yourself and Ms. Sango and bring you here."

"It wasn't Inuyasha?"

Totosai's large, almost lizard-like round eyes blinked in confusion at Kagome's words. "Pardon, miss?"

"It wasn't Inuyasha who asked you to get us?"

Totosai smiled knowingly—the privacy window between the front and back of the vehicle had been down after all. "No, miss. Mr. Taisho hasn't sent for me since Friday evening. I would presume you're here today at Mr. Houshi's bequest."

Kagome offered him an appreciative, small smile and nodded her head. Sango thanked Totosai for the ride then linked arms with Kagome.

Turning her head slightly to face Sango, Kagome felt a compulsive rush to tell Sango that Kagome had been right, that Inuyasha really hadn't sent for her. Guilt and upset made the muscles along Kagome's neck and shoulders hurt.

"Ladies, welcome."

Kagome's eyes upturned to watch Miroku appear through the front doors, a burly man dressed in black immediately behind him. Kagome's brows furrowed at noticing how the man didn't follow Miroku outside. He just remained a large presence in the open door.

"Hi, Miroku," Kagome called softly as he descended the stairs.

Kagome felt her eyes widen as she took in the sight of him. He wore dark blue jeans and a purple long-sleeve shirt with three undone buttons below his neck. Kagome could see traces of bruising along his jaw line and around his left eye, along with dark bags under both eyes. Stitches ran the length of his one cheek, the traces of dried blood lining the thread. He looked like he had been beaten to an inch of his life. The memory of Miroku's screams made Kagome's stomach feel queasy.

Sango, on the other hand, felt like she couldn't breathe.

Before uttering a greeting, Sango took a step towards the man, her hands raised slightly with a compulsion to greet him with a hug. Sango retracted her hands slowly into her chest, her heart beating in her throat.

"Miroku…" she uttered, her eyes unable to take in the sight of him. "What happened to you?"

Miroku smiled at her and tucked his hands in his front pockets. "Don't worry about me, Sango," he laughed. "You should see the other guy."

Sango closed her eyes with a small laugh, but her soft brown eyes still hummed with worry. She remembered Kagome's explanation of the fights, the sounds of gunshots. For the first time, at the sight of Miroku, Sango couldn't bear to think about what her friend had been through.

"Kagome," Miroku finally said, turning his emotive eyes from Sango.

Kagome felt a blush rush to her cheeks as Miroku collected Kagome into his arms. She turned her eyes uncomfortably to Sango as Kagome felt her breasts flatten against Miroku's chest from the contact. It wasn't a tight hug—Kagome could feel Miroku wince slightly from the pain of the contact—however it was male contact none-the-less. Remembering how desperately he had wanted her to stay safe, Kagome's heart throbbed in appreciation of his concern.

Sango cleared her throat with such a forceful _ahem_ it caused Miroku to end the embrace with a playful laugh. He held Kagome an arm's length away from him, his hands still on her shoulders.

"I'm so relieved to see you're alright, Kagome."

"I'm glad you're okay too," Kagome said, smiling softly. "You look awful though," she continued, drawing a laugh from the man. "Are you in any pain?"

Miroku laughed again and shook his head. "The stitches are quite bothersome, and it's a bit inconvenient to have broken my dominant hand," he said raising his casted right hand, "but other than that, I can't complain. Inuyasha got the worse of—"

Miroku immediately retracted his words with a constricted inhalation of air. He saw the way Kagome reacted to the mention of Inuyasha's name.

"Why are we here, Miroku?" Sango suddenly spoke up, distracting the group from how Inuyasha's name had caused Kagome to respond.

Miroku smiled. He really did appreciate how forthwith Sango could be.

"It was Inuyasha actually," Miroku conveyed, his eyes darting between the two women before him. He couldn't prevent the smile appearing on the corner of his left cheek as he saw Kagome's eyes widen at the realization.

The reality of his confrontation with his employer that morning on the forefront of his mind, Miroku's demeanor suddenly changed. His gaze focused on Kagome, a strong look of sympathy flowing from his eyes.

"We saw the news, Kagome. The people at your apartment. It's sickening," he grieved. "Inuyasha—" he paused, mulling over his words for a moment or two— "Inuyasha, well, he heard you had essentially been cornered in your home for days and he knew he could send Totosai to get you out safely. Hiding in your home is no way to live. Inuyasha would know that better than anyone."

"Inuyasha really sent for me?"

Miroku tilted his head to the side. His stitches painfully pulled at the flesh around his cheek as a tooth-bearing smile appeared on his face. He couldn't help the feeling of relief rushing through his body at the confirmation that Kagome was as equally intrigued in Inuyasha as he was in her. Her body language and the tone of her voice couldn't have been more obvious.

"He told me this morning to arrange for you to come this afternoon."

"And me?" Sango questioned, her eyes never leaving Miroku's face with her arms crossed.

Miroku smiled and bowed his head slightly. "Ah, I must admit you were my idea, Sango."

She flushed at his words, uncrossing her arms and turning her eyes down bashfully. Miroku inwardly guffawed at her response.

"Kagome's last experience here," he paused, his face becoming serious again, "was horrific." His eyes turned to Kagome as his hands reached for her own. Kagome's palm resting on Miroku's cast, she grimaced slightly from the feeling of the coarse material. "I truly cannot apologize enough, Kagome, for what happened here. I—There's no words," he said, ending his lament. His emotive periwinkle irises narrowed at her sympathetically.

He straightened his back then, cleared his throat, and released Kagome's hands. A hint of pink still coloured Kagome's cheeks from the contact. "I wanted Kagome to be comfortable here, Sango," Miroku said, turning his body to face the other woman. "As her closest friend, I wanted you here as well."

 _Is that really the only reason?_ Sango's mind pouted. She had seen the way Miroku's eyes hurt for Kagome. She felt her whole body hurt just from the sight of Miroku. She genuinely felt at a loss for what he had been through. However, she couldn't deny the small mirth that developed in her belly at the sight of Miroku. She was just as happy to be here.

"Anyway," Miroku chimed, his demeanour once again changing. Sango couldn't help but smile at how he seemed to yo-yo between being serious and his usual impish ways. "That's enough of us chatting out here. Let's get you two inside. Kaede has made a wonderful lunch."

Miroku turned to ascend the stairs with Sango a step behind him. Before Kagome could even lift her left to take her first step, Inuyasha burst through the front doors, pushing aside the large man who lingered in the doorway. His chest heaved with panting, yearning breaths. Inuyasha's amber orbs looked aflame. He looked terrified.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome called, startled as his sudden appearance. "Are you o—"

"Get Kagome inside!" Inuyasha yelled at two men. "Now!"

Kagome watched the men immediately lunge down the stairs at Inuyasha's demand, their towering forms approaching Kagome like a loosened freight train.

Her eyes bounced between taking in the sight of Inuyasha's broken nose, his arm in a sling, and the two men charging down the steps towards her. Kagome heard Sango gasp as Miroku grabbed her bicep and pulled her towards him, out of the path of the men leaping the stairs to reach Kagome.

Kagome, suddenly scared by the sudden fierceness of Inuyasha's appearance, took a recoiling step back. Something was wrong. Just like the premonition she had had when Inuyasha left her on the patio, telling her to stay there. Kagome felt the same dark cloud swell within her chest.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Miroku demanded, Sango's back pressed against his chest from where he pulled her. "What happened?"

Kagome felt strong arms attach to her biceps and guide her quickly towards the stairs. A strong man's grip on each arm, she felt like she was flying as she ascended the stairs.

"Her apartment," Inuyasha began, his breathing still ragged from running down the stairs from his office. Half walking, half being carried, Kagome floated her way across the threshold of the house, watching Inuyasha leap into a room, barking for everyone to follow him.

Inuyasha had heard the driver pull up. He heard Miroku greet the girls. He had been on conference calls with his team of attorneys all morning, the TV on in the background on mute. His eyes absentmindedly turned now and again to skim the closed captioning of the speaker's words that appeared on screen a few seconds delayed.

Inuyasha had sat lazily, bored, listening to his lawyers' back and forth about who to press charges against, insurance claims, and apprising the extent of the damage to the house. Trying with all his might to not poke or touch his aching, healing nose, the TV had caught his eye suddenly.

Kagome's apartment was once again on the screen.

Without even thinking, Inuyasha pushed a button to end the call and picked up the remote, unmuting the TV. The female news anchor's voice poured into the room. Her voice was nasally and rushed. She sounded frantic.

"—The seventh, eighth and ninth floors, plus the roof, of the building are sustaining the most damage by the blaze. What started as an explosion involving gasoline on the eighth floor has led to this raging inferno.

"As you can see behind me, Toyko's bomb-arson unit, under suspicion of arson, has joined local firefighters, and they are struggling to try and contain the 90 foot flames. The fire has prompted authorities to issue an evacuation order for the surrounding area threatened by the fire and explosions.

"We've received multiple calls with concern for the safety of Kagome Higurashi, and I can confirm that Kagome was not home at the time of the explosion. Earlier reports confirm that she left her home approximately ten minutes before the call came in regarding the explosion.

"At least 13 people have been confirmed dead. Police say only four of those have been formally identified."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

I have so much thanks to send to all of you who have reviewed and kept up with this story. There's so much to happen over the next few chapters, I can barely contain my excitement.

What do you think will happen next!?

Review with your thoughts! :D


	12. Protection

**Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Protection_

* * *

Inuyasha couldn't breathe as he watched Sango and the two guards escort a devastated Kagome from the room. The girl choked on sobs. She could barely walk.

His mouth was so dry his throat tightened with every gulp, struggling to parch the dryness by moistening his tongue with saliva. His ears crackled from the attempts to gulp past the lump in his throat. Anxiety slithered from the depths of his stomach and he had to stand, he had to pace. He felt so physically uncomfortable in his own skin.

Inuyasha felt his lungs burn from the breath he didn't realize he carried around the room with him. He sucked in a greedy lungful of air and continued pacing. Miroku sat silently on the sofa behind him, his eyes staring pensive holes into the carpet.

Inuyasha tried to rub the disbelief from his face with one hand. The skin on his cheek stretched downwards with the motion, pulling the lower lid from his eye. He paced to try to force out the discomfort bellowing from the core of his body. He felt so overwhelmed with information he didn't know how to organize his thoughts into a linear formation. He had so many thoughts he didn't know which to think first. He couldn't take it. The reality was suffocating him. He wanted to be ignorant of it. He wanted to deny what was staring him right in the face. But this was too big a sign for him to possibly ignore or deny, despite how desperately he wanted to.

The fire had been a message to him, of that much he was certain.

A stressed growl curdled in Inuyasha's throat. Rounding the room one more time, he stormed towards the television set, unable to take in the sight or sound of the nasally newscaster anymore. He smacked his palm against the front of the TV, meeting the power button brusquely and causing the tech to shake on its stand. Above all else, he couldn't take the sight of the fire anymore.

The anxiety was too much for his body to handle. His muscles, cramping under the stress, screamed for escape.

"What should we do, Inuyasha?"

Miroku's quiet, meditative voice spoke up from the silence and Inuyasha shook his head. Casting an arm behind him, Inuyasha used the gesture to tell Miroku to give him a minute. He knew that if he were to open his mouth right the rage directed at Miroku would be too much.

Inuyasha stopped pacing to rest his non-slung hand on his hips and took a deep, steady breath with his eyes closed. Forcing the breath out through tight lips, Inuyasha finally turned to respond to Miroku.

"I don't fucking know."

Miroku sighed and mirrored the action of rubbing his face with his non-casted hand due to disbelief and shock. "I'm sure I don't need to mention it, but you realize the significance of the fire, don't you, Inuyasha?"

"I'm not fucking blind," Inuyasha hissed. "I know what it means."

He could hear his tensed exhales dashing from his nostrils, the waft of air drifting across his upper lip. He ran an agitated hand through his hair. He needed to calm down. He knew he couldn't react like this. It's what they wanted him to do. They wanted him to be the same hotheaded kid he had been, to act impulsively without thinking, never weighing the consequences of his actions.

They preyed on impulse. They knew how to coax a weakness out of a person, to use that weakness against them. Patient manipulation had always been their ultimate weapon, time their primary resource. He knew them better than anyone did. He couldn't give them what they wanted.

They wanted him broken. They wanted him scared.

Days after Kyokotsu, Mukotsu, and Ginkotsu's release, Inuyasha couldn't understand how three ex-convicts would so willingly blow their immediate freedom by rushing back toward criminal activity. After the attack on the house, Inuyasha believed those three fuckers had acted on pure compulsion, united by a mutual hatred of Inuyasha. He genuinely thought Kyokotsu, Mukotsu, and Ginkotsu acted purely because of an independent need for vengeance.

But Inuyasha had been a fucking fool.

How could he not see the assault was orchestrated? How could he have dismissed Kyokotsu's threats so easily? He _told_ Inuyasha the Family was coming for him. After ten years of being left alone, Inuyasha had called the man's words a bluff, believing that Kyokotsu and the other two idiots just wanted Inuyasha afraid. After all, fear was the family occupation and murder was their job.

 _Everything happens in twos_ , Inuyasha recalled. _Everything always fucking happened in twos._ Horrific memories surfaced in his mind that he promptly stifled and rammed back into the darkest depths of his memory. Now was no time to be nostalgic.

 _First, the break-in, and now, two days later, the fire…_ Inuyasha shook his head of the thought. Fire alone meant so much to them. Everything they did, everything they believed in, always contained so much fucking symbolism. Fire was the most serious threat they could have used.

And they used it against Kagome.

Inuyasha forcefully sat himself down on an ottoman and buried his hand in his hair. Without any intention, and without even doing anything, he had made Kagome a target. By merely being around him, Kagome had put herself in danger. Inuyasha could never have known the band was getting out of jail—Kyokotsu's words haunted Inuyasha's mind: _we're all getting out, the Family saw to that_. That part of his life was supposed to be over. Everything to do with the Family was supposed to have been so far buried in the past Inuyasha could have argued it never happened. It was a bad dream, nothing more.

But why Kagome? The question circled and circled Inuyasha's frantic mind. He had been with Kikyou for years and they never touched her. Why was Kagome the intended target now? To get to him? Because the media had put Kagome on some God damned fucking podium with a neon sign saying 'Inuyasha's new bitch'? They preyed on weakness. Did that mean…

Inuyasha's lips fluttered from the intensity of his exhale. The sudden crashing reality hit him so hard it caused a surge of pain to inflate behind his eyes.

The media had fucked over Kagome. The world's perverted, obsessive need to know, their relentlessness to exhaust all resources to learn the truth, had put an Inuyasha-sized target on Kagome's head. No wonder this attack had been on Kagome. Kikyou was old news. Mukotsu had threatened Kagome, gone after Kagome, and Inuyasha had tried to protect her from him. Would Mukotsu have somehow reported that confrontation to the Family?

If that were true, then what the news had been saying about Kagome and what Mukotsu saw must have doubly influenced targeting her.

Inuyasha felt his stomach flip and churn nauseatingly. If he had waited ten minutes longer to tell Miroku to send the car for Kagome… The blood rushed from his face. He couldn't bring himself to finish that thought.

"I'm going to go check on Kagome," Miroku said in a groan as he pushed off his knees to stand. The silence that he had left for Inuyasha to try to compose his thoughts was beginning to make Miroku uncomfortable.

"Leave her be," Inuyasha barked, not bothering to raise his head. "She needs time to digest all this."

 _Fuck, I need to time to digest all this…_

"You think time alone can fix this?" Miroku questioned heatedly. "You realize, Inuyasha, her entire home and all her possessions were just taken from her. At this very moment, Kagome has nothing more to her than the clothes on her back." Miroku shook his head crossly. "How do you expect her to simply _digest all this_? Surely, there must be more we can do for her."

"I don't fucking know, alright?" Inuyasha fought. He turned a glower towards Miroku, his eyes tired. "There's more important shit to worry about right now than Kagome's belongings, Miroku."

Miroku heard the patronization in Inuyasha's tone in the way he said Miroku's name. The utterance caused Miroku to sit back down and lean forward, his eyes narrowing at Inuyasha's obtuseness. "If you want to do anything to improve the current situation, you'll help her."

"Help her!?" Inuyasha shouted disbelievingly, his brows raised. "Her being around me nearly fucking killed her, Miroku! How the fuck am I supposed to help her?"

"She's scared," Miroku replied simply, his face softening. "She doesn't understand what's happening. She doesn't know what the future holds for her, and that thought is terrifying. She has no home, no job—" Miroku added, recalling his conversation with Kouga to end the contract— "and she just learned she may have died if we had been ten minutes slower to react."

Inuyasha growled heatedly and clenched his fist at hearing Miroku wholly verbalize the statement Inuyasha hadn't been able to complete himself.

"Put yourself in her shoes, Inuyasha," Miroku goaded, his tone laced with persuasion. "The world knows her home was destroyed. The media has tracked down almost every person who has ever been close with Kagome. Even Sango told me her apartment is ridden with reporters. What positive next steps exist for her, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha scratched at his head so roughly his scalp ached long after his nails were gone. "Well, you sound like you have an idea so just spit it out already."

Miroku sighed. "We have enough security and staff here to keep her safe," Miroku proceeded to say with cautious diction. "And, I think It's safe to say the house won't be targeted again because of the attention it will draw to them should they do so." Miroku knew he was beating around the bush and it was likely trying Inuyasha's patience. Taking a deep breath, Miroku just spat it out. "I believe the best course of action would be for Kagome to stay here."

"Kagome?" Inuyasha mumbled, his eyes wide in response to Miroku's words. The ache behind his eyes throbbed. "Live _here_?"

The idea of Kagome staying at his house caused Inuyasha's heart to lurch compulsively. His eyes zipped back and forth on the carpet in front him, trying to evaluate how he felt about the suggestion.

Inuyasha knew his hotheadedness was a wall he had erected years ago to shield his emotions from the rest of the world. His sarcasm and cynicism came to him so easily sometimes it surprised him. He couldn't help it. Over the years, Inuyasha's experiences had molded him to respond to his surroundings brashly. Without meaning to, Inuyasha had equipped himself with a defensive attitude and a brazen, sharp tongue as his primary means of defense against emotional upset.

Inuyasha sat there, mulling over Miroku's words. Without even completely opposing the idea of Kagome staying there—arguably, the more Inuyasha even thought of the idea, the more he agreed it was a good one—Inuyasha couldn't help the "My house isn't a fucking hotel, Miroku" comment that escaped his lips.

Miroku's eyes lit up as a knowing smile took over his face, his stitched cheek aching at the action. Inuyasha looked truly perplexed; however, Miroku wasn't oblivious to the slight colouring on Inuyasha's cheeks. Miroku inwardly smirked. He knew Inuyasha was open to the idea despite his gruff veneer.

"You have more rooms and space than you know what to do with, Inuyasha," Miroku retorted, the smile still on his face. "Days at a time go by where I don't see some of the staff because of the sheer magnitude of this place. Realistically, Inuyasha, you may not even know she's here."

Kagome's perfume still lingered in Inuyasha's nose from the night they danced at _Kobura_. Snorting, he shook his head slightly, realizing he could never _un_ -know something. Simply knowing Kagome was in the house would linger on his mind. He knew Miroku's words were wrong. He _would_ know Kagome was there.

Inuyasha's stubborn expression caused Miroku to question whether Inuyasha was sold on the idea. Opening his mouth to speak, Miroku jumped as Inuyasha's sudden words stole the ones Miroku was about to utter.

"Why are you so keen on her staying here, anyway?"

Miroku smiled. "You understand her situation more than you're willing to let on. Would you rather she leave here and house herself in some hotel until she can find a new apartment? Imagine how the media will flock to her the moment she leaves? They'll surround her new housing, just like her previous one, and you know she'll lock herself away for days, just as we saw her do.

"I'm not an ignorant man," Miroku smiled, releasing a breath. "I know you worry about her, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha's initial fear and anger began to meld into…excitement? Eagerness? Nervousness? His heart hummed and vaulted from its homestead in his ribcage. Why was he getting so worked up over the idea?

"I understand the decorum of the situation could be questionable," Miroku continued when Inuyasha failed to comment. He scratched at his stitches absently. "After all, we've never had one of your young ladies stay with us before." Miroku sighed, the skin beneath his cast suddenly growing irritated and itchy. Miroku flexed and wiggled his fingers in hopes the action would do something to satisfy the itch. "And the media would likely have a field day with the arrangement; however, I'm sure you and I could both agree that the media can go fuck themselves at this point."

Inuyasha laughed at the comment. Despite Miroku's background, it was still uncommon to hear the man curse.

"I still think she'd be better off somewhere else," Inuyasha finally said, raising his head to meet Miroku's gaze. "She's only in this mess because of me."

Miroku bowed his head empathetically. "What better way to keep her safe then, by having her under your own roof?"

Groaning from the movement, his body slow, achy, and tired, Inuyasha stood. He knew Miroku was right. Taking a few steps towards the door, Inuyasha's strides were halted by Miroku's words.

"Where are you going?"

Without turning to look over his shoulder at Miroku, Inuyasha simply said, "To get the maids to prepare one of the rooms upstairs."

Miroku smiled triumphantly as the visage of Inuyasha disappeared from the room.

Now, he just had to convince the girls.

* * *

Kagome's eyes throbbed she had cried so hard. She and Sango had taken respite at Inuyasha's dining room table, the two guards standing back uncomfortably but firmly in a doorway. Even they felt sympathy for Kagome.

Sango held the weeping woman to her bosom, Sango's arms tight around Kagome's shoulders. Vicariously experiencing the traumatic experience, the occasional tear fell from Sango's own eye. The girls had been like this ever since Kagome was escorted from the room, the news of the fire a devastating blow to Kagome's emotional state. Kagome uttered an infrequent grievance, mourning the loss of a few cherished items; however, she mostly wept.

"What if I—" Kagome sputtered. "What if I ended up getting a cat ah—after all, Sango? It would be—"

"—Don't do that to yourself, Kagome," Sango interrupted angrily. "You can't think about things like that."

"But m—my home."

"I know," Sango cooed, rocking the girl in her arms. "I know, Kagome. I'm so sorry."

"Where do I…H—How do I…" Kagome's words disappeared in another wave of tears and Sango felt her heart breaking. Kagome was one of the gentlest and kindest people Sango had ever known. She didn't deserve her life to be shook and devastated like this.

 _The explosion was on her floor,_ Sango thought fearfully, the realism of the surreal incident knotting her stomach. _Inuyasha's timing couldn't have been better. If that car hadn't—no, stop it, Sango_ , she immediately swore. _If Kagome's not allowed to go there, neither are you._

"You can stay with me," Sango whispered, trying to mask the fear in her tone with supportiveness. "We can find a nice two bedroom somewhere so you don't have to sleep on the futon forever—" Sango's musings were interrupted by another eruption of tears from Kagome— "It'll be okay, Kagome. I promise you."

' _The Family will want you. You will stay here until I return.'_ Mukotsu's threats were loud in Kagome's memory.

The newscaster reported that even though arson was suspected, at this time, they couldn't rule out the premise that the fire and explosion was an accident. But Kagome knew better. The sickening pool of grief and fear in her stomach told her so. This was no accident. She wasn't supposed to make it out of the apartment alive.

 _Inuyasha saved me_ , Kagome's mind uttered again and again. _He's the one who got me out of there. He saved my life._

Forcing herself not to think about all the keepsakes, mementos, and valuables that had been brutally taken from her, Kagome sat upwards from Sango's arms. Kagome gasped for a lungful of air, desperate for a feeling other than grief to well up inside her.

A gentle tap on one of the three doorways into the dining room caused Kagome to turn behind her. A maid a few years older than Kagome stood before the girls, her hands clasped together. She bowed her head at Kagome.

"Ms. Kagome," the girl said while she bowed her head. "I've been asked by Mr. Taisho to arrange for you to be brought upstairs."

"May I ask why?" Sango called, speaking up for her friend.

"I'm afraid he didn't provide me with a reason," the girl smiled in apology, bowing her head slightly.

Sango turned a worried eye to Kagome. "Are you okay to go? You don't have to if you don't want to, Kagome."

Kagome sniffled and used the fingers of both hands to wipe at her eyes. "No, I'm okay," she whispered hoarsely. "I can go."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Kagome turned to meet Sango's eye, the emotional connection between the two women almost causing Kagome to give in to another wave of tears. Kagome stood herself up forcibly to prevent it from happening again. She was never one to wallow. Kagome knew that crying like this wasn't going to help her situation improve. Taking a deep breath, Kagome nodded. She needed to be strong.

Sango nodded in return and stood, tucking in the two chairs the girls had sat in. They then followed the maid, who identified herself as Ayumi, to the second floor.

Miroku had been waiting for them on the landing.

"Kagome. Sango," Miroku breathed solemnly as the girls appeared before him. "Kagome," he said again, his eyes softening painfully at the sight of Kagome's swollen eyes and flushed cheeks. "I'm so sorry, my dear girl."

Kagome nodded at him as thanks and sniffled, swiping at her nose with the back of her hand. Being around people like this caused Kagome to feel mortified. She just wanted to curl up in her bed, in the floral sheets she had picked up immediately after signing the lease. She wanted a cup of tea in the cat mug Souta had bought her when she went away to university. She wanted to protectively surround her body in the quilt her mother had made her as a graduation gift from teacher's college.

Kagome forced her mind away from the inanimate objects in her life that held such meaning. Sango was right. Kagome couldn't torture herself like this.

"May I speak with you a moment, Sango?" Miroku asked, his eyes bouncing between the two females on the landing.

Sango looked like she was mulling over his comment before turning to Kagome. "Do you want me to come with you, Kagome?"

Kagome shook her head. Despite the seriousness in Miroku's eye, she saw the way his eyes lingered a few seconds longer on Sango. Straightening her back, Kagome internally reprimanded herself for responding to the situation childishly, for turning to tears in response to what happened. She was allowed to grieve, but at the end of the day, escaping the incident with her life was more important than personal belongings. After all, she tried to convince herself, it's just stuff.

"I'm okay, Sango," Kagome said, trying her best to stay the fluctuation in her tone.

"Are you sure, Kagome?" she pressed, her softened brown eyes pleading for the truth from Kagome.

Kagome nodded, forcing a smile across her pained face. "You speak with Miroku. I'll be okay."

Sango sighed as she watched Ayumi lead Kagome down the hallway.

"Are you okay, Sango?" Miroku suddenly asked, leaning against the railing with his arms crossed.

"My heart is breaking for her," she exhaled, mirroring the position on the opposite railing. "I don't know what to do for her."

Miroku nodded understandingly. "Inuyasha and I came up with an idea that I wanted to run by you," he said suddenly, causing Sango's eyes to widen with intrigue. "As her closest friend, I realized that your support of the plan is necessary for it to work."

"What plan?" Sango prodded, her chest humming with curiosity.

"We both believe it would be in Kagome's best interest to stay here, at the manor."

"What?" Sango gasped with doubtful eyes. "She doesn't know either of you. This place isn't a home to her. How could you possibly think that would be best for her?"

Miroku raised his hands in line with his stomach in hopes of warding away Sango's scepticism. "Please hear me out, Sango," he continued.

He bit his lower lip anxiously before opening his mouth to speak. His stomach binding, he didn't know the words to express that wouldn't startle or worry the woman in front of him.

"Inuyasha believes Kagome might be in danger if she leaves here."

The expression on Sango's face fell in response to his words, the whites of her eyes widening in a shocked expression. "In danger?" she echoed. The thought seemed wild to her.

"I don't know how I can explain this to you without it sounding crazy, but I need you to trust me, Sango. The fire today was no accident—"

"—How can you say that?" she interrupted, her mouth agape.

"—and Inuyasha knows that the only way to keep her safe is to keep her here," Miroku droned, ignoring Sango's outburst. "His security has doubled. There are people to watch out for her. She'll have her own bedroom; her own space. She'll be comfortable here and—"

"How is she is danger?" Sango interrupted again, her volume increasing, her brow tightening. She refused to allow Miroku to brush off her question again.

Miroku released an onerous exhale and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "That's the thing, Sango. I can't tell you. That's why you have to trust me."

"How can I, or even Kagome for that matter, trust a man we barely know?"

Miroku's eyes looked hurt. "You know me, Sango."

"For not even two weeks, Miroku," she responded harshly. "I can't allow her to stay here. She'll come home with me. Kagome will stay with me where—"

"You'd subject her to the press in her current state?" He combated, his voice wavering. "Think about it, Sango. Think about _her_. How many people surrounded your apartment today? How many more do you think there will be once they catch wind Kagome is staying there?" Miroku sighed, trying to steady his nerves. "Kagome didn't leave her apartment for _two days_ because of those vultures. How much will that escalate following recent events?

"You know I'm right, Sango," he pressed, his tone becoming gentler. "Kagome can't live like a caged animal afraid to leave the walls of a house."

"They won't know she's there," Sango refuted, her eyes shaking. He couldn't be right. She didn't want to believe him. "We'll sneak her in—we'll—we can…"

"The manor's property expands nearly 1,500 acres, Sango, all protected by gates and other security measures. Kagome could go outside here. She could be comfortable here." Miroku's expression softened as he took a step towards Sango. "I'll personally give you security clearance so you can come visit anytime you want.

"I really believe she'll be safe here."

Sango's breath quivered on her exhale. Miroku's words pierced her body to the point her hands were shaking. Was Kagome really in that much danger she needed protection, 24/7?

"Is she really in danger, Miroku?" Sango's soft voice beckoned. Miroku couldn't see the expression on her face. Sango's downturned chin caused her bangs to shield her face from his sight.

Miroku's shoulders relaxed. He hadn't realized he had been so tightly wound during this conversation. The look on her face when she finally met his eye, coupled with the way her body retracted and diminished from the weight of his words, pained him. He wanted to embrace her, to hold her against him and tell her everything would be okay. Miroku admired how much love she had for her friend.

"She is," he finally whispered, soft enough that the gravity of the situation finally caused accepting tears to fall from Sango's eyes.

* * *

"Kagome," Inuyasha articulated as soon as Ayumi guided her into the room. Bowing her head to Inuyasha, Ayumi turned on her heel and left, leaving the door completely open behind her.

Kagome's red, swollen eyes widened as she took in the glamourous bedroom she stepped inside. Grateful that her cheeks were already flushed from crying, Kagome knew her face would have otherwise lit up like a Christmas tree. Despite the door being open, Kagome was standing alone in a bedroom with Inuyasha.

The walls were a whitewashed lavender, drastically contrasting against the fiercely dark grey of the wooden floorboards. The king-size white-wooden sleigh bed stood prominently on the far side of the room to Kagome's right. The curved angle of the headboard caused the bed to jut out from the wall at least a foot. Blue and violet flowers gently decorated the white duvet that puffed upwards from the mattress. Kagome's eyes couldn't fathom how many decorative pillows were piled atop the bed. Two white doors were closed on the left side of the room, the side where Inuyasha stood. A towering white-wooden dresser with sixteen drawers and a large rectangular mirror lay immediately in front of Kagome, two six-foot windows on either side of it. Kagome guessed the room had to be at least twenty-feet wide.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked hesitantly.

She jumped in response to her name as a question, interrupting her mesmerized exploration of the fanciful room. She turned her eyes slowly to meet his, her orbs feeling laborious and tired in their movement underneath swollen lids.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, turning his eyes away from hers.

Kagome clutched her fingers together in front of her and nodded. She worried that if she were to open her mouth, more tears were freefall. Kagome distracted her mind from her emotions by turning her eyes to look upon Inuyasha's arm. The limb was contained within a sling in front of his chest. The navy blue material contrasting drastically with the white of his V-neck t-shirt.

"Does it hurt?" she asked suddenly, her eyes trailing the outline of his shoulder and then his arm.

Inuyasha followed her gaze and looked down at his arm, understanding filling him. He turned to her eyes again, smiling past the white bandage covering the bridge of his nose.

"I've had worse," he replied. He had intended for the comment to come across as a joke; however, the sombre look on Kagome's face proved his humour had failed to come across.

"I'm—" he opened his mouth to say, suddenly feeling very awkward and stupid for standing in front of her like this. He couldn't tell if the bedroom door being open made him more or less uncomfortable. "I'm really sorry, Kagome," he finally said. "About your apartment."

Kagome nodded in appreciation of his words. She opened her mouth to say thank you, feeling strings of saliva pop from the wideness of her open mouth, but she quickly closed it. Kagome really felt like an emotional roller coaster.

"I'm glad you're safe," he mumbled, widening his stance. Kagome's cheeks burned in response to his words. She tried to ignore the ache in her eyes as she blinked furiously. She wanted to understand why Inuyasha had her escorted to this room.

"I wanted to—to," he paused, drawing her from her pondering. She noticed a flush tinting his cheeks. He looked uncomfortable. Inuyasha swore at himself for acting like a child as he absently scratched at his cheek.

 _Fucking out with it_ , he cursed himself.

"I wanted to know if you'd like to stay here…with m—at the house," he said quickly, alternating his word choice at the very last second. His cheeks burned, his stomach tossed. Why was his body responding this way at a simple question? This was ridiculous, he thought. The way he was acting was completely uncalled for.

But he couldn't help it. He felt physical and emotional pain at the sight of Kagome. The state of his body was evidence of the incident on Sunday night. The state of Kagome's body evidenced the events of today. Despite the irritation of his body taking time to heal, what he had experienced felt like nothing in comparison to what Kagome must be dealing with.

She hadn't even known who he was a week ago, for fuck's sake. Now, he had cannonballed himself into her life with such force that everything was collapsing around her. True, he hadn't been the one to instigate her attending Rin's party, but that whole evening wouldn't have happened—wouldn't have instigated Kagome being there Sunday—if Inuyasha had really kept his distance.

Taking a few steps towards her, Kagome's head shot up suddenly at the sound of his footsteps.

 _He wants me to stay here? First he offers me the car and now…his home? He wants me to stay in his home?_

 _I can't stay here_ , another voice from within her screamed. _The implications of that…what would Mama think…I couldn't. I can't. I've already hurt them so much._

 _You know the fire wasn't an accident_ , the initial voice retorted smugly. _Don't be an idiot, Kagome. You know he saved your life. You know it would be safe here._

 _No!_ the other bawled. _Stay with Sango. That's the better choice. It's the decent choice. You can't live with a man you don't know. Be smart, Kagome. You're smarter than that._

 _Don't think like that. Look at him. Look how genuine he looks right now. Remember what he did on Sunday? How he protected you from Mukotsu on Sunday? He saved. Your. Life. Your home was torched, and you would have gone up with it if it weren't for him._

"I—" Kagome spoke. The voices in her head were so conflicted she had to bite her lip to placate more tears.

Could she stay with him? _Should_ she stay with him? Kagome had no experience to draw upon to make a rational decision. She had no home. She knew the media would be waiting for her, waiting to publicize her pain, revel in capturing and embellishing her tragedy.

Inuyasha felt his heart beating in his throat. Why was his body so on edge waiting for a reply? He wanted to convince himself that maybe he had uttered the question too quietly for her to hear. He didn't want to think that she didn't want to stay here. He didn't want to think that she was so against the idea. He had pretended to hate the idea with Miroku— _My house isn't a fucking hotel, Miroku_ , he had said—but, in reality, it delighted him. He couldn't justify the thrill that blew up within his chest at the premise of Kagome consciously choosing to stay with him.

He knew all this pain had been his fault. He knew he was to blame for how much hurt and suffering Kagome had experienced. He wanted her to say yes. He wanted her to choose to stay here at the house, with him, so he could find ways to make it up to her.

"Okay," she said finally, her eyes downcast. Inuyasha watched her tug on the hem of her shirt, refusing to meet his eye.

"Okay?" he prodded questioningly. Did he hear her right? Did she really say yes?

"Okay," she repeated, slowly raising her eyes to meet his.

Inuyasha's heart felt like it could explode from the synergy of elation and grief. He couldn't handle the pain on her face knowing he had caused it. He was the reason the whites of her eyes were bloodshot and the skin of her eyelids were distended. Red trails down flushed, pale cheeks caused Inuyasha to feel a hollowness spread through his legs up to his chest. He may not have lit the match that destroyed her apartment, but he naïvely provided the kindling.

He didn't want her to hurt anymore.

Before his brain could scream at him to stop, Inuyasha clumsily closed the distance between them. With his uninjured arm, Inuyasha grabbed hold of one of Kagome's hands that gripped the hem of her shirt and pulled her against his chest. When his brain finally caught up to his body, he realized it was a sorry excuse for a hug. His damaged arm hung limply between them, preventing their bodies from touching, from fully connecting. Inuyasha's uninjured hand pressed into the space between Kagome's shoulder blades, his fingers indenting her skin ever so gently.

A tuft of air flew from Kagome's lips as Inuyasha gripped her hand and pulled her against his upper torso. She tumbled face-first into Inuyasha, her nose depressing in his chest from the force. She could feel his rigid arm against her stomach, his suspended fingers merely inches from the underwire of her bra. She felt the fingers of his other hand press between her shoulder blades, holding her to him. Her skin felt hot underneath the contact of each individual digit.

"Inuyasha," she stammered. His name was a muffled moan leaving her mouth, her lips brushing against the material of his shirt. His scent was so irrefutable Kagome could almost taste it. It surrounded her in a protective bubble. It didn't even matter that the hug, in and of itself, looked absurd.

He felt the hot breath of his name waft over his chest after her utterance, his skin feeling cold once it dissipated. With her forehead pressed against his chest, Inuyasha feared that she would listen to his heart, pounding and vibrating his body from their contact. He didn't want her to know just how severely she affected him.

"Thank you," she muttered, her words even softer than his name. Before the final syllable left her lips, Kagome pressed her cheek into his chest and connected her arms around his waist.

Inuyasha could smell the salt from her tears. He could feel her heart fluttering from within her own chest. His body grew warm, wound-up from amazement that Kagome had said yes to stay here, that she had allowed this contact between them.

Resting his chin delicately on the top of her head, Inuyasha allowed a smile to score the front of his face. His eyes stared outwards into the hallway, eventually closing as he breathed in the scent of Kagome's shampoo and the trace of saline from her tear-stained cheeks.

They wouldn't get her here. They will never harm her, Inuyasha swore. He would do everything in his power to protect her. The gravity of the future ahead of them, Inuyasha sighed, tightening the lids of his eyes.

Yes, he would protect her. No matter what the cost.

"This will be your room, Kagome," he whispered into her hair.

He felt her arms tighten around his midriff and he smiled. He knew she was saying thank you.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

So much fluff incoming, I hope you're ready. Brace yourselves, friends! Lots of interesting plot development on the way.

Please review!


	13. Body Language

**Author's Note**

Just an FYI – this chapter contains mature subject matter.

* * *

 **Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Body Language_

* * *

Kagome gasped as her hairline emerged from the depths of the pool's tepid water. Lurching forward, she clung to the raised edge of the pool's deep end, resting her elbows on the coarse pebbly material that made up the floor of the pool house. Sputtering drops of water from her mouth, she gasped again and wiped the water from her eyes. Her breaths echoing in the translucent glass-encased building, Kagome rested her cheek on the backs of her hands, her mind heavy. The way the building retained the humidity it felt more like a greenhouse, and she closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing. Kagome could feel the sun, filtered through the frosted glass roof, on her back and her black ponytailed locks suctioned to the back of her neck and shoulders. Opening her eyes, she witnessed the last few inches of her hair drifting away from her to float playfully in the water. She watched the ends glide around her shoulder, mesmerized by the seductive dance induced by the lull of the water.

Kagome couldn't believe how quickly the past week had gone by. Every day that passed made it the smallest amount easier to accept her current living arrangements; however, discomfort still felt burdensome on her shoulders. Kagome still couldn't express—let alone fathom—just how anxious and distressed she felt.

Once she and Inuyasha had left her room (despite how embarrassing that thought was to recall), the day had passed by in a blur. Sango, devastated for her friend, took an early departure after dinner, deciding she would prepare Kagome a care package to help Kagome feel less uncomfortable in her new accommodations. Miroku, insistent to enjoy a drive alone with the woman, offered to escort Sango to her home and then deliver the package, personally, to Kagome. When those two left, Kagome watched as Inuyasha, ostensibly troubled, stood from the table excusing himself. Watching him walk away, Kagome, alone and uncomfortable, decided to seek shelter on the second floor of the house—her floor.

After a long hot shower, where Kagome couldn't hold back the tears that surged under the water pressure, she had walked back to her new room only to find one of Sango's tote bags on the bed. Acquiescing to the fact that the day had made Kagome an emotional wreck, she paid no mind to the grateful tears that coated her freshly bathed cheeks. With cautious fingers, she pulled each item out of the bag.

Sango had thought of everything. She had packed Kagome some pajamas, toiletries, a few pairs of Sango's yoga pants, makeup, and Sango's iPod and headphones. Kagome even had to laugh at the unopened three-pack of panties Sango must have bought for her. Her humour imploding within her, Kagome's heart surged uncomfortably within her chest upon seeing a couple of the books, sweaters, and t-shirts that _were_ Kagome's, items she had lent Sango ages ago. Kagome had held her cloth belongings to her face, bunching the material in her fists, and cried. She was exhausted, emotionally drained, wishing grief would just be done with her and leave her alone.

Kagome had put her newfound cherished items away in the dresser and the smaller of the two walk-in closets. Subdued, strained breaths and breathy sputters lingering from her tears, Kagome had crawled languidly into bed. Despite her exhaustion and desperate wishes for sleep to claim her, the bed and the room had been too foreign to her, and Kagome's tireless thoughts refused to allow her sleep.

Sleep had been a struggle for her all week.

Closing her eyes, Kagome felt the water lap against her body affectionately, rocking her, comforting her. Kagome had been such a festering ball of anxiety she had taken to spending long afternoons doing laps of the pool. She found solace and stress-relief in the water, in the smell of chlorine that tickled her nasal passages. Every day she found herself heading down the long gallery that attached the monstrous house to the pool house. Even though she had been a guest for a week, Kagome still couldn't shake the impulse to tiptoe her way down to the pool house, as if she were somewhere she shouldn't be.

Unfortunately, that feeling of being a fish out of water, of being somewhere she didn't belong, was something that was tightly wound within Kagome's chest—even as she sat there bobbing in the pool's water. Realizing the horrors of her recent reality, Kagome knew she deserved to do something that made her happy; yet, despite her attempts to try to enjoy the pleasures of staying in such a magnificent house, Kagome was still unsettled. Her mind kept forcing her to think about treasures she would never see again, that could never be duplicated. Her fears about the men who came to the house caused her to stir anytime a foreign noise appeared in the night.

She had always struggled with the problem of thinking too much, worrying about others too much, forcing herself to take on too much, putting too much pressure on herself. During the past week, Kagome had become desperate for her brain's 'off' switch. Tears welled up in her eyes at random times. Kagome's appetite was off. And her mind just kept going and going, analysing, worrying, and pondering.

Swimming, she found, was one of the only things that provided her such welcome distraction.

When she had awoken early in the morning, after her first night in the house—barely able to get any sleep in the mountainous duvet that she felt stifled her ability to breath—Kagome wandered the house. Her eyes had gazed curiously over the landmarks Miroku pointed out to her the previous night in a tour he and Inuyasha hoped would get her more acquainted with the house. As she tiptoed down the long hallway, trying to hide her presence like a child sneaking out of bed, Kagome allowed herself to explore. Eventually, that exploration had led her to the pool house.

As she had wandered the interior in the blue-checkered shorts and white long-sleeve pajamas Sango gave her, Kagome recalled the tour she had been given the night before.

Seven bedrooms; five bathrooms; two formal dining rooms (one seating sixteen, the other approximately twenty-four); one breakfast area; a covered veranda on the east-side of the house; a covered portico at the front of the house; a sunroom at the south of the house; the canopied patio-deck; one great room; one gathering room; two libraries (the upstairs one Inuyasha uses as his office); one leisure room, complete with a Shigeru Kawai piano; an impressive open-concept foyer complete with crystal chandelier; an indoor swimming pool connected to the house by a gallery; and a four-car garage.

Bobbling in the water, Kagome wiped at her nose. It still felt overwhelming to her just how monstrous Inuyasha's house really was.

Every night as she lay in the leviathan sleigh bed, Kagome had felt safe, knowing that the fear in response to an unknown sound was unfounded, knowing that security had been intensified following the attack on the house. But the _guilt_ was always at the forefront of her mind; she didn't feel right accepting Inuyasha's offer to stay at the house. The guilt was another culprit keeping her up at night.

Her cheeks inflamed recalling when Inuyasha had shown her the room for the first time, the feeling of her cheek pressed into Inuyasha's rock-hard pectoral muscles and the warmth of his hand on her back. Her eyes performed windshield wiper movements across the glass wall in front of her as she recalled listening to his heartbeat, relieved that his heart was frantic just like hers had been.

Having spent most of her week inside the house—Kagome infrequently went outside—she couldn't believe that this place had been a home to Inuyasha's family for generations. Despite the beauty and magnificence of the place, to Kagome it felt cold. The interior had been completely remodeled so everything was modern, a stark contrast to the ancient and formidable exterior. In it, nothing looked old; however, this modern mansion felt more like a museum than it did a place to grow up and raise a family.

Kagome had taken to speaking with her mother on the phone almost daily. At first, her mother had been so upset that Kagome chose to stay with a complete stranger, rather than her own family, that she had ended the call abruptly. Devastated over the guilt that hung over her head after the call, Kagome had called her mother back later that day, crying and asking her forgiveness, asking her to understand. It took a couple of days, but eventually Mrs. Higurashi came around.

The Shrine was old. It was an aged family home that had been in her grandfather's family for years. It _looked_ lived in. There were marks on the kitchen wall identifying Kagome and Souta's heights over the years. There was the stain on the upstairs carpet from the time Souta intentionally scared Kagome causing her to spill her glass of cola. It was her childhood home, but it was also the place where Kagome was raised without a sense of independence or autonomy. She knew her grandfather and mother's rules were ones created out of love and concern for her and Souta; but, Kagome couldn't stomach the idea of moving back there. She needed to do what she needed to do prioritising her best interest.

Besides, she knew how many people flocked to the Shrine. She knew the media still hounded her family to learn where Kagome was staying, to learn her family's reactions to Kagome's immediate, over-night fame.

Kagome already felt like she was drowning in grief, guilt, and a lack of control over her life. Even Kouga had taken to making decisions for her. He texted her in the middle of the week stating she didn't need to work for a while. He had put her down as taking a short-term leave of absence.

Even if Kagome _had_ wanted to work, that decision was made for her too.

For the first few days staying at the manor house, Kagome kept returning to the comparisons: the museum-like quality of Sengoku Manor versus the worn comfort of her childhood home. Kagome couldn't deny the confliction warring inside her. Stay here or go home? Freedom or no freedom? Guilt for accepting Inuyasha's hospitality for no reason versus the guilt she felt for not wanting to return to her family home—coupled with the guilt she felt for not doing what she could to look after herself. Kagome knew she was burning the candle at both ends, emotionally bleeding herself dry.

Frequently, Kagome chastised herself for allowing herself to be so critical of her situation. It wasn't an everyday occurrence for someone to become involved in a dangerous break-and-enter and then, merely days later, to lose everything she owned in an apartment fire that, at the end of the day, killed 17 people. The magnitude of it all was more than Kagome's mind could apprehend. She tried to convince herself that if she didn't want to go back to the Shrine, her mother's guilt-inducing words shouldn't be the reason Kagome moved back home.

Then there was Inuyasha.

Words couldn't express how much she appreciated everything he had done for her in that one week alone. He had bent over backwards for her to try to make her comfortable. He was the one who told Miroku to give Kagome a tour of the place; he wanted Kagome to treat this place like home. He was the one who ensured the household staff were at Kagome's disposal with anything she needed. Thanks to him, she now had a closet full of beautiful clothes, more shoes than she could dream of owning, and a bottles of perfume or lotions that somehow kept appearing on Kagome's dresser every couple of days.

Sometimes she wished it could be easier for her to accept these gifts without thinking anything of it; but her mother had raised her as a worker, to see the value in things _she_ had worked towards and reap the benefits of her _own_ success. There was no personal accomplishment in Sengoku Manor. Kagome was riding the wave of someone else's success and it made her uncomfortable; it was the exact opposite of how she was raised. She appreciated Inuyasha's generosity so much; but, at the end of the day, that guilt she felt continued to weigh heavier in her stomach. "It's so nice, but it's not right," she would say.

During her week, the two of them hadn't even spent that much time together. Miroku had Inuyasha whisked away from the house in order to appease the media's ravenousness following the break-in. No one had to tell her just how much of a PR nightmare the whole thing had been. During the days, Kagome had to find ways to entertain herself, as Inuyasha flew off to attend the interviews Miroku scheduled for him all across Japan. Some evenings, he claimed to be homesick and wanted his own bed—when really he just felt badly leaving Kagome by herself—and he would arrive home slightly after supper. On those nights, they had sat out on the patio with an evening drink, but even then, Kagome struggled to enjoy herself.

Inuyasha wasn't _that_ obtuse. He could see how badly Kagome was internally struggling with everything. He saw how conflicted she was. But, at the end of the day, he knew there wasn't anything more he could do for her than give her space and let her come to him if she wanted to talk. He had hoped that her calls with her mother would help; however, he had seen, after two days, it merely seemed to make her feel worse. That was when Inuyasha started to bring back souvenirs from his trips across Japan. He would send Miroku or his driver out to collect samples of the latest must-have women's perfumes or lotions that he thought would make Kagome happy to have.

It had devastated him when he saw her fight back tears when she thanked him for the gifts. He grew anxious, frustrated. He couldn't tell if he was making her feel better or worse.

Really, during the week, the only peace Kagome had found for herself was swimming.

She pushed herself to see how long she could go without taking a breath, how many laps could she do in three-minute intervals. The water was her saving grace. Her brain so focused on conserving her air, pushing her muscles to the point of exhaustion, that there was no part of her left to think about the guilt or distress that clung to her.

Peering at the outside landscaping through the glass of the pool house, Kagome sighed. It had been almost four hours since she had seen another person in this monstrous house; her last forty minutes she spent here in the water. After an entire week of coming for her swims, Kagome had never encountered another person here. No one came to disturb her. No one came looking for her.

This place became her own solitary safe space.

Kagome's breath seemed to catch just below her neck, and she felt her chest begin to warm as she recalled her first time entering the pool house. What had begun as innocent curiosity, when she explored Inuyasha's house after her first night there, ended as an exchange between her and Inuyasha that felt hot on her mind.

As she meandered down the long gallery on the first floor of the house, Kagome had distractedly took in the original, glass-enclosed paintings that littered the walls. Sidestepping her way across the wooden floor, the house felt so large Kagome had yet to come in contact with another human being that morning. Her bare feet pattering against the cool floor, the only sound Kagome could hear was a distant lawnmower and the _swoosh_ of her pajama shorts as she walked.

Until, the sound of skin slapping water drew her attention.

Turning over her shoulder, Kagome saw the frosted glass door at the end of the hallway. It was as if the sound of the echoing, chopping waves became louder when it had her full attention. Curiosity getting the best of her—after all, Miroku had pointed out the direction of the pool house but hadn't explicitly shown it to her—Kagome shuffled to the pool house door, leaning her body weight against the swinging door to open it.

She took such pleasure in the chlorine solution smell that assaulted her, and the warm blanket of air that coated her face and the exposed limbs from her pajamas. Kagome's eyes focused on the spirited shimmering of the water's reflection against the one concrete wall of the pool house—the other walls were thick glass—and the reclined chairs pressed up against it. Finally, her eyes turned to notice the diluted image of peach skin under the water. The water slurped at the pool's edges, and she stood just beyond the entrance, the door swaying with a pendulum-like momentum until it finally closed behind her. Kagome's eyes saw the blurry image of green shorts as the swimmer headed towards the shallow end away from her. Eventually reaching the end, the water split with a lung-quaking gasp, and silver hair flipped backwards and dripped down a painfully muscled back.

Kagome's voyeurism made her uncomfortable, and at the sudden sight of Inuyasha emerging from the water, Kagome became deathly aware of how underdressed she was in her pajamas.

Inuyasha, acutely aware of his surroundings, had heard the door swing open; however, in the middle of finishing a lap, he had paid the person no mind, assuming it one of his staff. Sputtering to the surface, he flipped his hair over his head and it slapped against the skin of his back. The ends of his hair leaked water that tickled as it careened down his spine.

"What?" he croaked, turning in the water. His irritated tone echoed throughout the glass room.

Recognition and shock striking his senses, Inuyasha's mind struggled to put two-and-two together, to register that it was Kagome who stood in front of him. His eyes stung slightly from the chlorine and he wiped at them, eventually dropping his hands by his sides. Inuyasha could feel his lime green swim trunks tugging at his thighs with the motions of the water. He couldn't deny the sensation that washed over him that even the water was trying to draw him closer to her.

"Kagome," he said suddenly, his eyes red from the chlorine. His utterance of her name felt large around her with the echo of it. Be it the chlorine, her emotional instability, or the nakedness of Inuyasha's chest, Kagome felt light-headed.

Inuyasha sucked back a breath. He was frightfully aware of how her eyes delicately traced the outline of his chest.

"How did you sleep?" he asked, raising a hand to wipe away drips of water from his chin. He desperately didn't want her to know what the sight of her in her pajamas was doing to him.

"I—uh—okay. Um—thanks," she stuttered. If she hadn't been so distracted by the sight of him she would have rolled her eyes at herself.

The water danced around Inuyasha's waist, the skewed reflection of his green bathing suit causing the water to emanate a florescent glow outwards into the water and upwards onto his skin.

Kagome's eyes became independently operating organs, tracing the 'V' below his Adam's apple that disappeared into his prominent collarbone; the dips of his shoulder muscles; the clearly defined vertical line separating his pectoral muscles; the small, taut, reddened flesh of erect nipples from the chill of the water. Her eyes absorbed the symmetrical veins on each bicep, intentionally skipping over the bandage he wore reminding her of his gunshot wound. Instead, her eyes lowered to take in the flattened hair on his forearms that darkened slightly from the dampness of his skin. She felt her mouth drying as her eyes circled the shadows on his midriff from the strong abdomen, the linear contour outlining the middle of his six-pack, which ended at his belly button.

Kagome had struggled to inhale, her chest feeling constricted. How could a belly button look so sexy, to cause her to react this way? Her eyes dared to trace lower, to swallow in the image of clustered, wetted hair, leading her eyes dangerously below the waistband of his bathing suit.

The warmth that began in Kagome's cheeks had plummeted lower, gathering in her stomach. The heat alarmingly, rashly, seeped even lower, transforming into a moistness between her legs. She couldn't remember the last time the sight of a man had caused this type of response from her. The length of time between now and the last time she had been with a man suffocated Kagome. She wanted to feel the moisture of Inuyasha's shoulders under the pads of her dry fingers. She wanted her fingers to trace the stiff mounds of flesh on his abdomen. She wanted to feel the sensation of her warm tongue dipping into the space between his collarbone, and taste the saltiness and moistness of his saturated skin.

When Inuyasha said her name again, questioningly, she absentmindedly gave her head a little shake to snap herself out of it. What she was doing, how she was staring, was so inappropriate. Her enflamed cheeks made her face so warm she felt her hairline trickle with sweat. As her eyes rose over his upper torso to meet his eyes, her embarrassment doubled, tripled even. Her blushing was made all the worse from the smile on his face and the intensity at which he looked at her with his burning amber eyes.

He wasn't an idiot; he knew exactly what she was doing, how she was looking at him. He knew the spectacle of his nakedness affected her. A smile toyed on the corner of his lips. He would even argue the sight of him pleased her.

"Everything okay?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.

Kagome blinked madly, trying to dispel the glaze of arousal from her sight. "F—fine," she stuttered.

As he waded from the water, his trunks bellowing around each thick-muscled thigh, Inuyasha ascended the stairs. The water desperately clung to and pulled at his body with a noisy _shush_. Kagome watched with an aching heart as his bathing suit clung to him in all the right places. As Inuyasha walked towards his red towel tossed casually onto a chair, Kagome watched as the wetness of his trunks clutched the skin of his lower torso, outlining a particular area that left nothing to the imagination. Kagome had been overrun by memories of his fingernails on her thighs, teasing at the hem of her sequin dress, his breath on her forehead, the hardness of his member pressed into the crevasse of Kagome's buttocks. Kagome gulped, feeling a heaviness developing within her sex. She was so aroused her fingers were trembling.

"Are you _sure_ you're okay, Kagome?" he called from underneath his towel. Kagome watched him tousle his locks underneath the red bath sheet.

She nodded and licked her lips. "Yeah, I—uh—"

 _For the love of God, Kagome, stop it. This is so…he is so…_ Even her mind couldn't operate around how flustered she was.

"I remembered Miroku pointing the pool house out and…" she gulped as Inuyasha turned around. The material of his shorts gave her a perfect outline of his perfectly shaped ass. She swore in her mind before forcing the words out of her. "I wanted to check it out."

"Huh," he returned, finally facing her with the towel wrapped around his waist. With his vibrant green swimsuit no longer visible, he could have been completely naked under that towel for all Kagome knew. The premise caused a tingling sensation to spark up her spine.

"I'll have to get Yura to get you a bathing suit then, too."

"Yura?" Kagome's mouth dryly echoed. She couldn't help the twitch in her heartbeat from the sound of another woman's name leaving his lips.

"My stylist," he replied, walking towards her.

 _Lord give me the strength_ , Kagome begged as the sight of his devilishly handsome face and—the word perfect kept repeating itself in her head— _perfect_ body approached her. His silver locks hung limply against his chest, and Kagome couldn't help but notice how his nipples still prominently jutted themselves out from the outline of his chest, pushing themselves out in between his strands of hair.

"I had Miroku call her last night. She'll be here just after lunch today for your sizing appointment."

Kagome's mouth hung open. He had to be…four? Five feet away from her at most. Her head was swimming.

"Sizing appointment?"

Inuyasha snorted and placed his hands on his towel-covered hips. "You plan on living in those pajamas, Kagome?" he asked smugly. His eyebrow disappeared underneath the canopy of his bangs

Kagome had widened her stance, playing with the hem of her long-sleeve pajama top. "Well, no—"

"Yura's one of the best stylists across the Western seaboard. She'll provide you with everything you need."

And later that day, her appointment with Yura had caused her head to spin. The woman was flamboyant, speedy, and sultry with her oxen blood coloured lipstick. Kagome's entire face had been a flush as Yura, in the confines of Kagome's massive walk-in closet, had Kagome strip to her bra and panties so Yura could obtain appropriate measurements. Kagome had flushed when Yura's hands connected with the front of Kagome's bra padding atop her nipples, when Yura's fingers traced closely to the middle of Kagome's legs to get her inseam.

The next day, Kagome had awoken to both closets, and her dresser, full of the most beautiful—and God knows how expensive—clothing she could ever imagine.

Back in the present, Kagome groaned before resting her forehead against her hands. The memory of shirtless Inuyasha had haunted her all week.

She decided that living at Inuyasha's was going to be the death of her. Ever since that one, _stupid_ confrontation in the pool house, everything became sexual to Kagome. Once her appointment with Yura had ended, Kagome had immediately gone to take a shower, so overwhelmed by guilt and arousal that she decided to try the detachable showerhead for the first time.

Kagome flushed, feeling so unlike herself right at that moment. She had never been insatiable like this before. Why was being so close to Inuyasha like this any different? Was her body yearning for him because of _Kobura_? Because they had almost kissed? Because he saved her life? Because she was so desperate to feel anything other than guilt or distress? Because cumming, just like swimming, gave Kagome the calm and the distraction that she was so desperate for?

Both shamefully and shamelessly, Kagome had found some respite in pleasing herself once a day, usually in the shower. Like her daily swims, it gave her mind peace, it allowed her muscles to relax, it gave Kagome the control she felt had been taken from her life.

Closing her eyes once again in the pool, Kagome thought about her initial encounter with Inuyasha in the pool house. She remembered how closely he stood to her just in front of the door. She remembered the way he smirked at her, arguably _enjoying_ the way her eyes devoured the sight of him.

And the truth was, Inuyasha couldn't help smirking at her then, realizing that she was having trouble composing herself. The smell of chlorine had radiated off his skin, dominating his senses; however, infrequent wafts of Kagome's scent graced his nose, causing his stomach to churn.

He had felt himself allured by the sight of her in the pajamas. His eyes had scoured her body, appreciating how much skin her shorts revealed, and how tightly the long-sleeve shirt hugged her slim stomach and breasts. His eyes had hovered over the distracting mounds of flesh while he toweled himself dry. He could tell her bra was red or purple, the colour of it visible underneath the almost, but not quite, sheer white of her shirt.

Seeing her legs exposed like that caused memories to surge before his eyes of the night at _Kobura_. He could still feel the warmth of her back pressed against his chest, the softness of her thigh under his fingertips. A part of him hated that she wore a long-sleeve like this. In his mind's eye, he saw visions of an alternative future where he pressed her against the pool house wall and devoured her red-lipped mouth with his. He saw the way she sucked on her bottom lip when she eyed him in the pool. He could almost smell the arousal on her, her face was so flushed.

If only the reality of the previous day hadn't been such an irrefutable force, Inuyasha's instincts would have had no delay in sucking on her neck and raising her arms above her head so he could discard the annoying cloth barrier. Inuyasha felt an ache in the pit of his stomach to imagine the sound she would make as he took a pert, flushed nipple in his mouth. But Inuyasha kept his distance from Kagome. He knew that she needed the space and time to get acquainted with the foreign surroundings and the new direction she would need to take her life. Having her so close was starting to get under his skin. Just knowing she slept a floor beneath him made him restless at night. It wouldn't be fair for her if he should act on an attraction. It had only been a week, after all. He knew there would be plenty of time for them to spend together.

Despite his understanding, however, Inuyasha couldn't deny the growl that had threatened to escape his throat from his desire for skin-on-skin contact.

But he wasn't the only one. Their encounter preoccupied Kagome's mind. When the guilt and her strife became too much, her thoughts returned to how badly she had ached for Inuyasha in the warmth of the pool house. Kagome felt her Kegel muscles flex as her mind returned to the present. She was still in the pool, the water lifting her slowly up and down against the boundary of the pool. Alone in the humidity of the pool house, Kagome rested her forehead against her hands, releasing a tense, aroused breath between her lips.

He had shown a gentleness with her after the fire. And then with all his gifts, he had been so generous to try and make up for all the things Kagome had lost. Of all the encounters she had had with him to date, why did she have to remember that pool house encounter like this?

The memory of him leaving after, pushing his body through the swinging door, had left her feeling cold. She had almost wanted to reach out for him, beg him not to leave her alone. They barely knew each other. Why did her body react to him like that? After the traumatic experiences she had been through, sex should be the furthest thing from her mind. However, living in Inuyasha's house, his scent _everywhere_ —even her own room for Christ's sake—Inuyasha was the opposite of the furthest thing from her mind.

Kagome joined her legs together, feeling the nub between her legs pulse cravingly from the pressure.

With Inuyasha on the brain, a sudden, erotic thought came upon her that Kagome blushed at having. She couldn't…she thought, biting her lip, raising her head. Her heart pounded at the thought and she turned a hesitant look over her shoulder at the doorway. No one ever came in here when she was. After that one meeting with Inuyasha, she hadn't seen him in the pool house again after that. The pool house really had become her own independent safe space.

Mustering her courage, desperate for that bit of control and agency she longed for in the past week, Kagome used the wall to guide her body to where she knew the closest water jet was. Slowing to a stop, her body ebbing and flowing with the movement of water, she gripped the wall tightly with her fingers. Her body immobile, Kagome could feel the charge of water pressure against her thigh. Her eyes widened at the realization of what she was thinking about doing. Her womanhood ached with the need for release. Her brain was so tired from constantly running, she felt a headache developing in her left temple. If she didn't obtain her release here, she knew it would make for a long, uncomfortable walk back to the second floor bathroom.

Her shoulders tight, Kagome faced the concrete wall, the frosted door to the pool house immediately on her left. Staring forward at the wall, the entrance from the house was blaringly present within her peripheral sight.

 _How could you even think about doing this?_ A voice screamed from within her. _This is so inappropriate. You should be ashamed of yourself. Women don't do this. Ladies don't touch themselves in public. This is disgusting, you—_

 _No, you don't get to judge me_ , the devil's advocate voice that Kagome recognized spoke up firmly. Kagome fought away tears that came to her eyes with the confliction. Her heart was pounding she was so at odds with herself. Her mind was desperate for peace; her body was so desperate for release. Guilt, shame, distress, anxiety; Kagome felt like she could explode.

 _They took everything from you_ , the voice continued. _You're done with being a victim. You're done with cowering, done with being afraid. No one comes into this stupid room. This is_ Kagome's _safe space. This is the only space that has truly been yours this entire week. You're so stressed you need this. Make the choice._ You _get to decide how you can feel better, when you can feel better._

Kagome felt empowerment swell within her breast.

Taking a deep breath, she adjusted her body ever so slightly until she could feel the intensity of the water rushing against the material of her bathing suit bottom, against the core between her legs. To think of the _joy_ , the _recklessness_ of what she was doing; the _autonomy and choice_ behind her decision caused a rush within her chest. Kagome couldn't believe she had resorted to this. She couldn't believe such a scandalous idea had come upon her. To think that she had been driven to this because of thoughts of Inuyasha.

Kagome could barely contain the excitement she felt over achieving comfort and happiness by a decision _she_ had made.

She was proud of herself for what she was doing. Despite the small voice within her that was mortified with her actions, overall, Kagome was pleased with herself. She had never done something so risqué. The excitement was tantalizing she could have burst out laughing. Kagome was finally adhering to Sango's advice and doing what she could for her own happiness. The pool house was her safe place, it was where she could think without distraction, lose her stresses without worry. It was the only place where she ever found her brain's 'off' switch.

Both arms still flat against the floor in front of her, Kagome closed her eyes. The pink material of the bathing suit's halter-top bunched her breasts together underneath her chin. Kagome drew herself closer the wall, feeling her breasts press up against the pool's satiny boundary. The pressure from the water jet caused her stomach to tighten.

With a sly smile crawling from the edges of her mouth, Kagome lowered her left hand into the water, lifted her thighs on either side of the water jet, and pulled her black bathing suit bottom to the side.

The pressure was delicious.

Kagome immediately gasped, and bucked her hips against the flow of water. Her body jolted by the incredible lightening bolt of pleasure that erupted within her womanhood. She clenched the fingers of her right hand holding her body against the wall, against the intensive jet of water. Adjusting her body millimetres at a time, Kagome knew there was a sweet spot on her clitoris, somewhere that the jetstream of the showerhead found expertly every time. After just a couple positional adjustments, a low, throaty "oh my God" escaped her lips when the water jet found the revered spot; the angle at which the water hit her clit caused Kagome's eyes to roll to a close. She was desperate not to move. Kagome inhaled so quickly her lungs felt large and expansive in her chest. Squeezing her closed eyes, an involuntary soft moan escaped her lips.

She needed this. She was so wound up, so stressed; she needed this.

The openness of where she was and what she was doing caused her body to pulse with pleasure. She shamelessly allowed her mind to wander to the thoughts of the water trickling down Inuyasha's body, the outline of his member within his water-soaked shorts.

Kagome had never minded performing fellatio—she was firmly of the opinion that you get what you give—but she was suddenly overwhelmed by the desire to know what Inuyasha's hardened erection would taste like.

From the water's consistent, hard attention, Kagome felt her clitoris begin to numb deliciously from the pressure building deep within. She knew that if she didn't adjust her position, she would cum any second, and the body-numbing sensation of such all-encompassing pleasure was too much she refused to allow it to end so soon.

With her thighs spread on either side of the jet, Kagome's fingers felt dulled from the intensity of her grip. She angled her lower torso to the left, allowing the water to hit the opposite side of her clitoris, and the fresh pressure caused her hardened nub to reignite with indulgence. It triggered another moan as her eyelashes fluttered. Kagome's fingers tightened around the material of her bathing suit bottom, desperate to keep it well away from the erogenous zone. She felt a coil churning and churning deep within her, the compression building.

She was almost there.

Tightening her eyes, Kagome clenched the fingers holding her against the wall into a fist. Her fingers were pink and white from how tightly she clung to it, mentally begging for her release.

 _Almost there. Almost there,_ she chanted over and over in her mind.

From previous orgasms she knew that the more she thought about cumming the less likely it was to happen. But desperation swam heavily within Kagome's chest. She wanted release so badly; she flexed her Kegel muscles hopeful it would bring her orgasm upon her sooner.

She swore the water rippled from every sonic beat of her heart.

A shudder erupting within her midsection caused Kagome's hips to buck wildly. The pressure, the pleasure, was almost too much she couldn't take it. She had to compel her body not to turn away from it, not to allow her legs to close or move. Kagome fought with her body, forcing herself to take just a little bit more attention against the mouth-watering place where the water pulsated against her sensitive nub.

The pleasure was explosive; the expression on her face could have been mistaken for one of pain. She knew she was on the final wave of her climax. Kagome recognized the sickly sweet warmth causing her vaginal walls to squeeze, to quake. She wanted to shake her head back and forth; the building pressure was so delectable. Instead, she settled for leaning her head back to the point where cool water embraced the back of her scalp. Her eyes were squeezed shut. Her mouth was open. Her bottom lip trembled for eminent release.

 _Almost there. Please, God…_

Two things happened then. Kagome came, and Inuyasha walked into the pool house just in time to see it.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

In university, I read a paper written by a survivor of trauma, claiming that her sexuality was the only thing that helped her cope with the stress of what she'd been through. Her decisions to engage in sexual activities gave her complete liberation when she had otherwise lost all control in her life.

I thought it was such a profound way to look at coping with grief that it's always stuck with me.

So much has happened to Kagome; she is so emotionally charged, she doesn't know what she can do to feel better. Mostly, this chapter was inspired by my desire to give Kagome a moment to reclaim her agency after everything she'd been through.

But I decided to throw that ending in there as a treat for you all ;)

How will Inuyasha react? How will Kagome recover from this embarrassing confrontation?

**Stay tuned!**


	14. Welcome Distraction

_**Author's Note**_

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Longest chapter of my LIFE! So much goodness contained in it though.

Also! Huge thanks and appreciation goes out to you all for 70 reviews. In comparison to the thousand-review stories I have on the go, this milestone still means the world to me. Thanks for all your support and kind words.

Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Welcome Distraction_

* * *

"Ka—Kagome?"

Wide, shaking tawny eyes met voracious, frenzied brown ones.

Inuyasha's cheeks burned redder with each passing second. Kagome's chest heaved from the euphoric, cleansing wave of her orgasm. Her cheeks were crimson, her eyes slightly glazed, her chest a splotchy flush as her breasts rose and fell underneath the pink material of her bathing suit top. Even though she was looking at him, Inuyasha realized it hadn't dawned on her that he was standing in front of her. Her eyes were on him, but she didn't actually see him.

Inuyasha felt a lump develop in his throat when he lowered his eyes to view the hefty cleavage contained within her halter-top bikini. He could clearly make out the two lumps of her nipples, prominent on the centre of each unpadded mound. Her creamy skin, tanned around the shoulders, looked satiny from water droplets that clung to the flesh. His eyes followed a trail of goosebumps along her forearms and chest before they disappeared into the commodious cleavage.

He had never seen so much skin on her before, and the sight made his mouth water.

Inuyasha walked in to find Kagome's body pressed up against the wall of the pool, her hand clutching madly at the floor tiles to keep her body in place. Before his fingertips even left the door, his eyes observed the way her head leaned back into the water, her eyes tightly closed and mouth gaping open. However erotic the positioning may have been, truly the sound that left her lips was the most startling, yet the most delicious thing about the scene. He felt goosebumps rise from the flesh of his forearms at hearing the gasping, begging, crying rush of air.

He couldn't recall a time an arousal devoured him so quickly. He felt his cock pulse achingly at the sight of her and he emitted a low, carnal growl in his chest. Inuyasha couldn't move. His hands frozen at his sides, his body barely passed the threshold of the pool house entrance. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think.

 _Was she…? Was that…? What did I just…?_

Before Inuyasha's reeling, shocked thoughts could become cohesive questions, his body winced as Kagome released one of the loudest, most girly screams he had ever heard in his entire life.

She finally clued in that Inuyasha was there. She realized he had seen her orgasm.

The room resonated with waves of the scream that left Kagome's lips. Her eyes on fire with panic and embarrassment, she forcefully submerged her body into the water, covering her chest protectively with both arms. Her fists hovering in front of her face, Inuyasha could only see her eyes above the clenched, shaking digits. Despite the horror she felt, Kagome's eyes never left his.

"Get out," her gasping, pulsing breaths pleaded. "Oh my _God, get out_ , Inu _yasha_! _"_ Kagome screamed once more, her initial comment receiving no response from the man.

Inuyasha heard the embarrassed desperation in her cry for him to leave. However his body was still mesmerized, watching her furrow her brows and dip her shoulders below the water to hide her body from his direct sight. The look on her face and the heat of her words finally making sense to him, Inuyasha widened his eyes and spun on his heel.

"Get out, get out, get _out_!" she continued to scream as Inuyasha fumbled for his exit.

Pushing his body back into the gallery, the only sounds humming in his ears were those of his pulsing, racing heart, and the door swinging closed behind him. He was somewhat surprised the door didn't fall off its hinges from the pressure he had applied to it when leaving in a panic. His face and body felt uncomfortably warm. Pressing a hand to his flushed forehead, Inuyasha's shoulders and head rested against the wall behind him. Closing his eyes and licking his lips, he tried to focus on something other than the image that kept haunting his closed eyelids.

Her mouth open, her eyes squeezed shut, and the sound of her plummeting over the edge to be embraced by her release. Oh God, the _sound_ she made…It was a breathy _ah_ , like she couldn't get enough air, like she couldn't contain the shiver that devoured her body. It took all of his willpower not to imagine her making the same noise when completing the very same syllable of his name: Inu-ya-sh _ah_.

Inuyasha opened his eyes suddenly, hoping the motion would stay his beating heart and hardening groin. He felt mixed emotions pooling in his stomach.

He had to fight every desire to go back in there, to confront her, to take her into his arms and be the one to make her ride that wave of ecstasy again. After all, earlier in the week he had seen how aroused she became at the sight of him. He wanted to be the one to make her so overcome with elation she made those noises for him.

Shaking his head, Inuyasha couldn't condone those thoughts right now. Shock and confusion resonated through his veins. Yes, he was aroused, but it was _Kagome_. Was she _really_ masturbating in a public place within his private home? Anyone could have walked in. Hell, _he_ walked in, proving that very point. Inuyasha felt his cheeks warm at the very use of the word _masturbation_. That word, plus Kagome, in the same sentence caused his heart—and other parts of him—to throb.

His shock slowly melted into pleased disbelief. He couldn't deny the smirk that crept onto his face. The girl he had pegged for sweet, _vanilla_ Kagome really had a side to her Inuyasha wouldn't have imagined—he would have hoped for, yes, but certainly not imagined. However, each thought playfully teasing with another, a new worry developed in his mind. He knew she could hold grudges; she held onto emotions long after they should have expired. He saw how mortified she was by his walking in on her. How could he possibly apologize to her for what just happened?

 _Sorry I walked in on you when you were cumming, Kagome._

Inuyasha shook his head. Even just voicing what happened made a ripple of excitement explode through his stomach. Licking his lips, Inuyasha contemplated heading back into the pool house with a white flag of sorts; however, suddenly, he jumped at the sound of heavy footsteps approaching.

Miroku's square shoulders appeared in the gallery suddenly, his brow tight with worry as he locked eyes on Inuyasha. Miroku had heard Kagome scream. Panic joined the plethora of emotions occupying Inuyasha's stomach.

"Inuyasha! Is Kagome alright?" Miroku shouted as he approached and then passed Inuyasha.

Inuyasha opened his mouth to warn Miroku not to go in there, but somehow his voice had lost itself within his body. Mere seconds before Miroku's body disappeared behind the other side of the door did Inuyasha hear more screams and curse words fly from Kagome's lips, directed at Miroku.

The man at whom those screams and curses were directed fumbled for his exit, frazzled, just like Inuyasha not even five minutes prior.

The two men stood on opposite sides of the gallery, both their eyes locked on the other. Their lack of words created silence like a protective cocoon around each alarmed man, fully surrounding them once the swinging door completed its oscillations to settle closed.

"What—did you _do_?" Miroku asked after a breath, breaking the heavy silence. His periwinkle irises were wide with alarm under his downturned eyebrows.

Inuyasha turned his face away from Miroku, suddenly taking a fascination with the baseboards of the floor. He didn't want to even go there.

"She overreacted," he mumbled, inwardly swearing at himself for the obvious shakiness in his tone. He clearly wasn't hiding anything from Miroku. That tone, enough, was a confession of guilt.

"I've never seen Kagome so flushed or flustered," Miroku argued. " _Something_ must have happened."

Miroku raised an eyebrow at the look of discomfort on Inuyasha's face. When Miroku walked in to check on Kagome, she had just emerged from the pool and was wrapping a towel around her body. Shrieking out of surprise that someone else had walked into the pool house, she clumsily tried to hide her body from Miroku's sight. Desperation clawing its way up her throat, it had taken all of her willpower not to throw something at him. Despite his frenzy to leave the room after Kagome's screams, Miroku hadn't been oblivious to the redness of her cheeks or the look of embarrassment on her face.

He turned a smirking, playful expression towards Inuyasha. "Were you spying on her?"

"What?" Inuyasha barked, almost choking on his words. He wished his cheeks weren't so red; he needed a better poker face with Miroku. "No! I didn't fucking do anything! She just—"

Their conversation halted immediately as the door swung open and a towel-clad Kagome propelled herself down the hallway, her cheeks pinker than her bathing suit top. Gripping the towel closed underneath her chin, she refused to make eye contact with either man standing right outside the exit of the pool house. Kagome's bare feet slapped against the floor as she took off in a brisk walk, almost a jog, down the gallery. Inuyasha almost closed his eyes as his nostrils filled with her floral scent mixed with the chlorine of the pool water. However, the scent disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. The two men stood silently, listening to her heavy footfalls upon the stairs, followed by the sound of her slamming her bedroom door.

The moment his eyes had registered that she was in front of him, Inuyasha opened his mouth to say to her name; however, like earlier, his vocal chords could produce no sound. He was desperate for her to turn, for their eyes to lock once more. He didn't know how he could apologize for what just happened, but he wanted to, he _needed_ to. However, her pleasant scent accosting his nose, Inuyasha was shortly distracted. When he finally snapped out of whatever trance he found himself in, she was gone.

"You most certainly _did_ do something," Miroku whistled from Inuyasha's peripherals. The comment drew Inuyasha out from his introspective analysis. "She couldn't even look at you."

"Ugh…" Inuyasha growled, his frazzled mind unable to think of what to say next. "Fuck off, Miroku," was what he settled upon.

His back feeling tight, he took off down the hallway, both hands in fists. He didn't want to stand there confronting Miroku while equipping a semi-hard dick. He wanted to be alone. Leaving the other man in the gallery, Inuyasha took the stairs two at a time to get to his bedroom. Promptly changing into his running clothes, he set off for a few laps of his property.

He afterwards planned to take a nice cold shower.

* * *

15 Minutes Earlier

* * *

Inuyasha left his office after a long conference call. Rubbing at the back of his neck, he tried to force the irritation from his system. After a long week, he felt restless in general, tired of being busy, tired of his fucking arm aching—that swim earlier in the week had really aggravated it—and tired of being kept away from Kagome.

He had seen her maybe three times total over the last week; however, it wasn't enough to satiate his desire to get to know the girl better. Their time together hadn't been nearly as consistent or frequent as Inuyasha would have liked. Even when they _were_ in each other's company, either Inuyasha's or Kagome's problems distracted them, respectively, preventing any _quality_ time together.

Ultimately, the biggest cause of Inuyasha's restlessness was the guilt he felt for leaving Kagome primarily by herself during her first week at the manor. He knew she was having a hard time adjusting to things following her apartment fire. However, for reasons outside of Inuyasha's control, he had been too preoccupied with his celebrity responsibilities to make Kagome a priority, regardless what he wanted.

Angry resolve expanding in his chest, Inuyasha decided the next time he saw Miroku he would tell the man to deal with everything. Inuyasha wanted nothing to do with his lawyers, any interviewers, or the general public anymore. He hadn't been this busy in ages and he hated it. He had other concerns he needed to make a priority. The primary concern being Kagome, the Family a close second.

Inuyasha rolled his shoulders, hoping to shake the impatience and annoyance off his back. Even though he just planned to unburden himself by getting Miroku to look after everything—after all that is what he pays the pervert for— he still couldn't shake the disquiet in his gut. Why did he feel so restless? Why was he so irritated by everything?

Deep down, Inuyasha knew that he felt unsettled most days ever since a certain black-haired female moved into his house. The reasons behind her move made him anxious, and the girl, herself, caused Inuyasha's heart to pound. Since when was he one to become a nervous wreck over a _girl_? Inuyasha felt outside of his comfort zone for the first time in a very long time.

Initially excited to spend more time with Kagome, it had come as an unwelcome shock when Miroku scheduled Inuyasha to be out of the house attending interviews across Japan. Between the travel time and the interviews themselves, Inuyasha felt like a guest in his own home considering how little time he spent there. Even though Inuyasha understood the need for these interviews, that didn't mean he had to like it. The media was getting too out of control, and Inuyasha needed to stop the public's mad ravings and questions about what had really happened at the house, and about Kagome.

Anytime the thought of Kagome being in the public eye occurred to him, Inuyasha felt a twinge of protective anger swell within his chest. He was positive that Kagome's new media attention caused her to be singled out by the Family as Inuyasha's new weakness. If it was the last thing he did, he would ensure he protected Kagome from the groping obsession of the media.

Landing on the first floor of the house, Inuyasha asked a maid passing by if she had seen Kagome, but the woman merely shook her head and said she hadn't seen the girl since breakfast.

Inuyasha continued to feel antsy. He had really wanted Kagome to enjoy herself at the house, with him. However, everything he had given her, everything he had arranged for her, only seemed to make the situation worse. Was it because he was never the one to give the gift himself because he was away? Was it because he could have arranged to have the gift given to her better? Over the last week, Inuyasha had constantly tried to assess what _he_ could have done differently to help Kagome. However, at the end of the day, he grew frustrated by the simple fact of their distance from each other. He truly believed most of his discomfort would disappear if he just stayed on the property with her.

She seemed withdrawn, distracted, conflicted, and unhappy, the latter affecting him the most. The Kagome he had met was a bubbly, feisty girl who had more kindness and joviality in her heart than anyone Inuyasha had previously met. _This_ girl, the Kagome who had moved into his house, seemed the opposite of that.

The first night Inuyasha had seen Kagome after coming back from his trip to Osaka, Kagome was kind and incredibly thankful, albeit a little distracted. She didn't seem completely withdrawn from him, but he could tell she wasn't all there psychologically. Unlike the second evening when he saw her; she didn't say much and seemed pretty removed from him. When he finally asked her what was wrong, she simply stated her family wasn't thrilled with her new arrangements and that made her decision to stay at the manor more difficult. Without going into detail about it, she then excused herself—before even finishing one glass of wine—saying she wasn't feel great and wanted to go to bed.

Inuyasha growled at the memory. How could he do anything to make her feel better when he was never around? He may have felt confused at what caused and prolonged Kagome to feel this way; however, there was also a part of him that understood how she felt. It was this component of Inuyasha's understanding that made him feel guilty for leaving Kagome alone.

Inuyasha knew that fear and distress is an all-encompassing blackhole where, if left to linger in it too long, one can eventually become comfortable. Inuyasha had once lost himself to the familiarity and comfort of suffering, and now Kagome was adrift in that darkness. But could he blame her? Not really. She was ultimately alone in a brand new place, forced to take comfort in the foreign things given to her, with no friends, and no family who understood what she was going through. Kagome had been primarily isolated with her thoughts for a whole week. No wonder she was festering in confliction and distress. She had nothing else to do, nothing else to distract her.

Inuyasha suddenly felt absolute confidence in his decision to rid himself of all other concerns and focus on Kagome. He wanted to be the distraction she needed to move on from her grief. He wanted to be someone she could talk to so she didn't have to burden herself with drain-circling thoughts regarding how she felt. He wanted to comfort her, protect her. He wanted to make her happy, to see her smile. And how could he protect her from her own darkness when he'd been too God damned busy trying to satiate those fucking vultures' need to know?

The only other time in the whole week when Inuyasha saw Kagome was when she ran into him in the pool house her first morning at the manor. She had barely spoken a few words to him, but her eyes had said more than she could know.

That morning, Inuyasha had felt restless, knowing a girl to whom he was attracted was sleeping under his roof. Ignoring the ache in his healing arm, Inuyasha decided to perform some self-advised physiotherapy, thinking an early morning swim would be what he needed to cool down and distract himself. Unbeknownst to him, however, Kagome couldn't sleep either, and curious about the pool house, she had wandered in and saw him.

 _Really_ saw him.

The memory of seeing her so aroused just by the sight of him had sat heavy on his mind all week. He hadn't even _done_ anything. Had it really been that long since Kagome had a lover that the sight of Inuyasha's naked chest caused her to react _like that_? A twinge of jealously plucked at his heart when his mind trailed to thoughts of Kagome's previous sexual partners. He hadn't had a crush like this in years and he felt asinine for it; but, he couldn't deny that most days, Kagome was constantly on his mind. Visual memory and scent recognition always the strongest forms of memory for Inuyasha, he especially couldn't get a particular image out of his head: her eyes dipping low—low enough to look at his package—and biting her lip in response to what she saw. And then there was the smell of her arousal. The whole situation just made his heart lurch it pleased him so. Inuyasha had just been grateful that Myoga was fucking shit at his job and the pool water hadn't been cold.

Standing in the kitchen, seeing no sight of Kagome either in the breakfast nook—where she liked to read, so he was told by Miroku—or on the patio, he turned to see if she had decided to take an afternoon swim. During one of their evenings outside together, Kagome had told him she enjoyed swimming in the afternoons. She said it helped her think.

Inuyasha decided two things then.

First, he would find Miroku to clear Inuyasha's entire schedule beginning with that night—he wanted to dedicate his whole evening to doing something with, and for, Kagome. Second, he decided to take that fateful trek to the pool house to ask Kagome if she would like to have dinner with him. He felt a devious grin take over his face at the premise of reserving an entire restaurant for the evening just for the two of them. He knew it wouldn't be cheap, but money was no concern; every owner had their price. At least by clearing out the place, Inuyasha would be able to protect Kagome from the voyeuristic public.

If only Inuyasha knew that in a few short minutes, he wouldn't actually get the opportunity to ask her.

* * *

Three Hours Later

* * *

Kagome's body still shook with embarrassment that she didn't know whether to cry or laugh. The more her mind replayed Inuyasha's walking in on her the more the situation felt surreal. Despite trying to distract her wandering, aching mind by reading a book, Kagome frequently kept putting the novel down on her lap. She couldn't focus.

 _God Damn that Inuyasha_ , she kept thinking to herself. She knew some ethereal beings were toying with her. What else could explain the phenomenon of her walking in on him in the pool, in the beginning of the week, and him doing the same to her at the end of the week? Her week had been bookended by pool-related arousal and Inuyasha.

Turning her eyes to look out the window of her bedroom, Kagome sighed, feeling her lungs fill and then quickly release with air.

She kept trying to convince herself that maybe Inuyasha didn't know what had happened. Maybe, she thought, he didn't know what he saw. He did look startled after all. She tried to convince herself that maybe he panicked without understanding what he had seen. After all, the whole exchange had maybe lasted a minute at most. Kagome wanted to believe her mortification was unjustified. But then Miroku had to walk in? Kagome sank lower into the endless bunches of throw pillows.

Remembering how vocal her moans had been, thinking she had been alone in the pool house, she could only imagine how she must have sounded to Inuyasha. Shriveling her nose, God only knows how she must have _looked_ to him, kneecaps poking through the water as she spread her legs to straddle the wall, her arm clutching for dear life. Kagome raised her hands to cover her warm, flushed cheeks. How could she face him again? The infamous heartthrob _Inuyasha Taisho_ surely knew what a woman's orgasm looked like, _sounded_ like.

Groaning and covering her face with one of the throw pillows, Kagome muttered words of grief into the pillow's material. She decided then that she had no other option: she would have to grow old and die in this bedroom.

A knock on the closed door caused Kagome to jump and remove the pillow from her face. Taking a deep breath, Kagome tried to stay her shaking heart. Closing and then opening her eyes to steady her resolve, Kagome directed a "come in" to the wooden door.

The smiling face of one of the maids greeted Kagome as the door opened fully.

"Sorry for the intrusion, Ms. Higurashi."

"Please," Kagome said with a smile. "Call me Kagome. And there's no intrusion." Gripping the pillow in her cross-legged lap, Kagome turned her gaze down to the decadent material and then back to the woman in her doorway. "What's up?"

The woman nodded bashfully at Kagome's request—even though Kagome kept offering her first name the maid just couldn't accept it—and smiled at Kagome once more. Fortunately, Kagome found just "miss" an acceptable compromise.

"I've been asked to bring you a message, miss."

The ambiguity of the maid's words caused Kagome to sit up slightly. "From who?"

"Mr. Taisho, miss."

"Inuyasha?" Kagome echoed. Her cheeks immediately blossomed pink. Turning her eyes downwards again, Kagome fingered the tassels on the pillow's corners.

"He has asked that you join him for dinner in an hour."

"Dinner?" Kagome repeated again. Why could she only muster one-word responses at the mention of Inuyasha's name? Kagome sometimes hated how girly and childish she could be. She was an adult for crying out loud.

The maid smiled. Kagome's enthusiastic yet bashful tone was not at all subtle. "Yes, miss. Mr. Taisho will have the car ready for you out front in one hour, should you accept."

"We're going out?" Kagome blinked wildly. She hadn't left the manor's grounds for an entire week. The premise of going beyond the rod iron gate caused a flip in Kagome's stomach. "Do you know where?"

The maid bowed her head in apology. "I'm afraid not, miss. Mr. Taisho merely asked me to pass along the message. Shall I tell him you accept?"

 _Could he really not just come and ask me to dinner himself?_ Kagome grumbled to herself with raised eyebrows.

 _Pffft_ , another voice went. _You've been stewing for three hours because the guy walked in on you masturbating. You wouldn't have been able to stomach having the guy come to your room to ask you out._

 _He's not asking me out_ , Kagome responded hotly.

 _Then what would you call it?_

Kagome sighed then turned her attention back to the maid. She hated that these internal dialogues had become much more frequent ever since Kagome moved into Sengoku Manor. Stupid conflicting emotions…

"Sure," Kagome said then, trying to silence the voices and steel her emotions. "You can tell him I accept."

The maid's tight-lipped smile spread into a toothy one and she nodded her head at Kagome. Gripping the door handle, the woman closed the door gently.

Kagome's head swam in the silence of her room. She was going out for dinner with Inuyasha. Inuyasha was taking her out to dinner. Where were they going? What should she wear? Did this count as a date? Was it an apology for walking in on her when—"

"Oh _God_ ," Kagome mumbled, crawling off the bed. She didn't want to go there. Instead, she tucked a pensive thumb in between her teeth while she stared at the closed door of her larger walk-in closet. "Oh God, what am I gonna _wear_ even?"

Opening the closet door, the automatic lights flickered on and the expansive room lay before her. Kagome sat her body down heavily upon the ottoman in the middle of the closet—although _room_ seemed the more appropriate noun—and drew her legs into her chest. Wrapping her arms around her shins, Kagome eyed the week-old contents of the closet. She couldn't imagine when she would need, or even get the opportunity to wear, so many beautiful articles of clothing.

"Not knowing where we're going could make this difficult," she grumbled, forcing herself to stand up so she could finger through some of the items.

It had caught Kagome by complete surprise when she had woken up to find the closets and dresser full with clothes. Yura hadn't even asked Kagome to try _on_ anything. The woman merely took Kagome's measurements and then said she would provide Kagome with everything she could ever need. Kagome had been pleasantly surprised when things as intimate and stubbornly fitting as the beautiful bustiers and delicate lace panties fit her perfectly. From bathing suits to formal eveningwear, from flannel, cozy pajamas to the raunchiest lingerie Kagome had ever seen, Yura had spoken the truth. Everything had been picked perfectly for Kagome, and Yura _really_ provided Kagome with everything she would ever need, and then some.

Kagome turned her body around to face the other side of the closet where Yura had organized all the dresses. Various colours and shapes assaulted Kagome's eyes and she traced hesitant fingers over the material lovingly. Some of the brands she recognized, some of them she didn't.

Taking a royal blue halter dress from a hanger, Kagome turned to look at herself in the mirror with the dress held up in front of her. Cashmere and silk assaulted Kagome's exposed skin and she couldn't help rubbing a palm over the material. Kagome's eyes honed in on the tag identifying the piece as one of Sesshoumaru's collection, and Kagome almost dropped the fabric onto the floor with a gasp.

Was Inuyasha _crazy_?

From a phone conversation with Sango in the week, Kagome had learned quite a bit about the Taisho brothers, primarily the elder brother Sesshoumaru. Sango had asked Kagome if any of the items purchased for her by Inuyasha were Sesshoumaru's brand and Kagome said she didn't know; she hadn't felt compelled to look. Sango had whistled then, encouraging her friend to check, stating some of Sesshoumaru's top of the line outfits started at pricing the equivalent of one thousand American dollars.

Kagome felt her blood thicken; how the hell could Inuyasha justify giving Kagome something like that? She had _at least_ thirty new dresses. There was no way she could accept the fact that Inuyasha may have spent 30-thousand dollars on dresses _alone_. Her base model Corolla hadn't even cost that much. Kagome found herself once again uncomfortable with the idea that Inuyasha completely refused her offer to reimburse him for the cost of anything. Although, not that she could really afford it.

With shaking fingers, Kagome gently adjusted the item on the hanger and put it away. She couldn't imagine wearing something that expensive out. She wouldn't be able to eat for fear of spilling something on it. She had never owned any piece of clothing that expensive in her entire life, nor had she ever expected to.

She continued rummaging through some of the other items in the closet. Kagome eventually settled on wearing a puce-coloured, strapless tunic, shin-length leggings, and black wedge heels. Staring at her naked shoulders underneath her tumbling tresses, Kagome quickly grabbed a black cardigan and tossed it atop the mattress for her to bring in case she felt chilly later. _Pre-Inuyasha_ Kagome felt that a shoulder-covered outfit would be better; however, the Kagome that knew and was attracted to Inuyasha liked the tantalizing idea of revealing some skin to him, albeit a modest amount.

After straightening her bangs and applying some make-up, Kagome sighed at her reflection. She peered into her own eyes and tried to de-escalate the congestion of emotion she felt. She decided she wouldn't bring up _the earlier incident_ if he didn't. It was in the past, and she didn't want to relive that level of embarrassment ever again. She decided it would just be best for that event to fade away into a distant memory, never to be spoken about.

With five minutes to spare before the hour was up, Kagome grabbed her purse and cardigan, took one last look at her reflection, checked her teeth for lipstick stains, and then headed downstairs. Waiting for the car felt like an eternity to her as Kagome stood underneath the portico, refusing to take a seat on one of the benches or rocking chairs along the front of the house.

Eventually, Kagome saw a silver Rolls-Royce Phantom slowly pull in front of the house, and Kagome gulped before clutching her purse strap and descending the stairs. It was a much smaller vehicle than the limousine Inuyasha had arranged for her previously; however, it was far more luxurious. She smiled at Totosai as the suited old man climbed out of the front seat and opened the back driver-side door for Kagome. She had to admit that the sedan, from the colour down to the posh design of it, screamed 'Inuyasha'.

"Good evening, Ms. Kagome."

"Good evening," she replied with a smile, trying to mirror his level of formality. It took all of Kagome's power not to giggle as the man opened the door for her. She had never seen a Rolls-Royce before, outside of the movies. The sleekness and regality was beyond gorgeous, and she couldn't believe she not only got to sit in it, but she would be chauffeured around in it in the company of Inuyasha.

When Totosai opened the door fully for Kagome to clamber in, Inuyasha's smug yet handsome face looked up at Kagome from his seat on the passenger side.

"Hey, Kagome," he called, his tone so smooth it caused Kagome to bite the inside of her cheek. She felt her cheeks flush under his penetrating gaze.

"Hi," she gulped, "Inuyasha."

 _Okay, you can do this_ , she thought before lifting a leg to climb into the back beside him. She settled her tense body into the body-forming white leather seat, trying to ignore how close their elbows were to touching. The interior was a combination of dark grey and black, and there wasn't a speck of dust visible to Kagome's eye. She had a perfect view of the elaborate, fully-loaded front console and dashboard. She didn't even want to begin to imagine how many hundreds of thousands of dollars this car cost. She gulped nervously as she buckled her seatbelt.

 _What a way to end the week,_ she thought, taking in the intricate details of the luxury vehicle's backseat.

Totosai closed the door behind her and Kagome fiddled with her purse strap in the loud silence. She didn't have the nerve to turn to say anything more to Inuyasha, and unbeknownst to her, he was having a similar struggle. He didn't know whether or not to bring up the incident earlier. He didn't know how to apologize, or whether he should apologize at all.

Thankfully, a question had popped into Kagome's head, and her voicing the question drew both of them out of their own respective introspection.

"So where are we going?"

Inuyasha nodded at Totosai to drive on before Inuyasha turned to answer Kagome's question. She almost felt winded by the look he gave her. He was strikingly handsome.

"I hope you don't mind, but I made a reservation," he said, his eyes turning to watch as they passed through the tree-shaded driveway.

"Oh," she replied, her eyes downturned to examine the outline of the cardigan folded on her lap. "No, that's fine."

Kagome suddenly regretted not adorning the cardigan before getting into the car. Her shoulders felt glaringly naked underneath her hair and against the cool leather seat. Through her peripherals, she saw Inuyasha turn his eyes to look at her.

She sat nervously, her heart dropping to beat loudly in the hollowness of her stomach.

"Can I ask where?"

She snuck a glance at him to see him respond with a cocky smirk. The playfulness of it made Kagome want to faint.

"Are you okay if it's a surprise?"

She laughed out the side of her mouth in awkwardness. "As long as I'm dressed for wherever we're going."

Inuyasha snorted a laugh. "You're fine. You look nice, Kagome."

She turned her eyes back to her lap and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks red hot. Licking at and biting her lower lip, Kagome slowly pivoted her eyes to look at him. He seemed distracted, gazing out the window. Feeling a pressure lighten on her shoulders, Kagome felt it safe enough to purview the handsomeness of his ensemble.

Inuyasha wore a tailored, white button-up collared shirt and dark almost-black jeans. Kagome smiled at realizing that Yura really was a fantastic stylist; she knew how to dress Inuyasha perfectly. Everything accentuated his body in the right ways. Three buttons from the top of his shirt were undone, giving Kagome a perfect side view of his thick neck and painfully chiseled collarbone. The sun-kissed colour of his skin brought out the goldenness of his one visible eye—after all, she could only see the side of his face—and she was grateful he had turned those spotlight orbs away from her. She swore she could get lost in them if she didn't keep her guard.

Turning her eyes from his face to look out the window on Inuyasha's side, Kagome noticed they were exiting onto a highway ramp. She sighed, turning her eyes back to his face. She inwardly told herself she couldn't ogle him again in such close proximity. It took all of her willpower not to lean forward and learn what his skin felt like under the pads of her fingers. Not trusting herself, Kagome kept her hands tightly intertwined on her lap.

The back of the car was spacious and Inuyasha had more than enough room to cross one leg over the other. Kagome felt her eyes drift to take in the features of his Italian leather shoes. Returning her eyes to his face, her curious coffee eyes followed the trail of his jawline, her stomach flipping as she did so. She needed to get her head straight and not let the sight of him get the best of her. After all, she reminded herself, you barely know the guy.

 _That doesn't mean you can't appreciate the sexual appeal of the guy_ , the devil's advocate voice spoke up.

 _Stop thinking with your hormones, girl_ , Kagome reprimanded, silencing the rogue voice.

The car ride had been mostly silent until the car turned off the highway and Totosai adjusted the rear-view mirror to glance at Inuyasha.

"Sir, if I may?"

"What is it, old man?"

Kagome turned to look at Inuyasha with widened, taken aback eyes. How could he use such a phrase towards someone whose age necessitated respect? Kagome couldn't believe that not only had Inuyasha used the term to address the older male, but he had uttered it with almost…endearment. Kagome couldn't help but smile gently; her grandfather would be horrified.

Kagome turned inquisitive eyes to the back of Totosai's head, but the older man showed no affront to the comment.

"I've received a message from Mr. Houshi that you may wish to hear. It concerns your evening plans."

"Why wouldn't that idiot just contact me directly?"

"I believe he didn't want to interrupt your evening, sir. Would you like me to replay the message?"

Inuyasha merely nodded and Kagome waited for a brief moment until Miroku's tenor voice filled the entirety of the vehicle.

"Totosai, it's Miroku. I don't want to interrupt Inuyasha and Kagome so I need you to make an executive decision for them both." Miroku paused in the message for a moment and Kagome's cheeks flushed upon reflecting the words ' _don't want to interrupt Inuyasha and Kagome_.'

"I received word from my media contact that a staff member at _Kozue_ leaked information to the public concerning Inuyasha's shutting down the restaurant for a private reservation. Hachi said there are news vans and personnel stationed outside the restaurant in hopes of catching Inuyasha and Kagome together before their dinner. I recommend enacting an alternative plan to save Kagome, particularly, the grief of dealing with the media. Please confer with Inuyasha should you deem it necessary. Thanks, Totosai."

The silence of the car lasted for a few seconds before Inuyasha crashed a fist into his thigh and swore hotly under his breath.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Can those assholes not keep their mouths shut for _one_ evening? Jesus, is it so hard to ask for just a _little_ privacy?"

Kagome's eyes widened fearfully from Inuyasha's response and she clutched a hesitant hand to her chest.

"Inuyasha?" she asked timidly. She couldn't understand the cause of his anger.

He scoffed loudly. "I didn't want you to have to deal with this, Kagome," he said, his tone softening, but still clearly irritated. "I didn't want to subject you to the cameras and shit."

"Oh," she spoke up quietly, her volume hesitant in response to Inuyasha's temper. "It's okay, Inuyasha. I don't mind if the media's there. We can just run in, can't we?"

"No, it's not okay, Kagome," he retorted angrily, his dark brows furrowing over his golden eyes. "I fucking paid for the privacy of the place _and_ the confidentiality of his staff so you and I wouldn't be bothered by people."

Inuyasha's argument caused Kagome's cheeks to turn a gentle pink.

"You didn't need to do that," she mumbled, tripping over her words. The premise of the action caused Kagome to stir uncomfortably in her seat. The gesture was beyond considerate, causing her face to warm.

"Yes, I did, Kagome," he responded, turning his eyes towards her. She could see he was trying to control his temper. "I didn't want those assholes to hound you, alright? You had a tough enough week as it is. You don't need that bullshit. I just wanted you to have a night out of that stuffy old house. I thought—"

"—Inuyasha," she smiled appreciatively, interrupting him. His name was an amazed, grateful whisper on her lips. He had thought of everything to protect her from the public eye. It was a completely excessive, paying out the place, but that didn't mean it wasn't appreciated.

Inuyasha adjusted his posture under the scrutiny of her gaze. He didn't want her to see how flustered the look was making him. Her brown, with some hints of copper and gold, eyes trembled with appreciation, never leaving his face.

"I, for one, don't want to deal with this shit right now. I've had enough of the press this week," he growled.

"So let's go somewhere else," she offered without a hitch. Inuyasha couldn't believe how easily her eyes dampened the temper in Inuyasha's warm amber irises.

"Are you sure?" Inuyasha probed, his eyes narrowing. "I honestly thought you'd like that place."

She smiled at him, appreciating the gesture, but she also shrugged. "I didn't know where we were going in the first place, so I'm not attached to… _Kozue_ , Miroku said? I don't even know what that is," she laughed.

Inuyasha sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's one of the highest Michelin starred restaurants in the Tokyo core. It's almost impossible to get reservations without bribery."

Kagome released a breathy laugh. "You didn't need to waste your money on something like that," she smiled. "I'd be happy with anything. It doesn't need to be fancy."

Inuyasha frowned slightly, puzzled at Kagome's words. "The money's not the issue here, Kagome."

"I know, but I still think it's kind of excessive," she argued hesitantly, turning her eyes towards her hands. "Booking out the place, I mean. But," she paused, searching for the rest of her sentence. Inuyasha left her room to complete her thought. "Thank you, Inuyasha," she sighed, finally. "You're right. I'm not really in the mood to be under the microscope right now."

Inuyasha laughed, a smug smile overtaking his mouth. He fought the urge to say _I told you so_.

"Is there anywhere you'd like to go?" he asked, trying to stay the tremble in his voice. "It might be last minute, but I can call anywhere to reserve the place. Perks of being me," he added with a toothy smirk.

Kagome's laughter struck his ears and he couldn't help but smile in response. "That is _really_ unnecessary," she chortled. "You don't need to empty the place out just because of me."

"No, I'm serious, Kagome. For your first time out of the house, I just want you to be comfortable."

She smiled, the hint of pink on her cheeks causing Inuyasha's stomach to tighten. "I'm seriously grateful, Inuyasha. But I promise you, it's really unnecessary." She blinked her eyes quickly in hopes of eradicating the fluttering feeling in her core when their eyes met. "It was a nice enough gesture that you wanted to get me out of the house, at all. Let's just so somewhere else. No reservations," she laughed. "No bribery."

Inuyasha sighed then turned to look at Totosai, who, unbeknownst to Kagome and Inuyasha, had been driving around the block several times until the backseat passengers had reached a decision. The restaurant in question was barely a two-minute drive away.

"Totosai?"

"Yes, sir."

"Drive on."

"Yes, sir."

Inuyasha turned in his seat so his legs pointed at Kagome. He crossed his arms, causing the opening of his shirt to billow slightly. Kagome gulped at the welcoming sight of the tops of his pectorals.

"What do you feel like eating, Kagome?"

Her stomach had started growling in the middle of their drive. Not wanting to be indecisive with Inuyasha, Kagome put a pensive thumb between her teeth and scoured her eyes over the back of the driver's seat while she thought. Inuyasha couldn't fight the smile that took over his face in response to Kagome's expression. He thought it was absolutely adorable.

"Don't make fun of me," she started. "Especially since you were about to take me somewhere pretty fancy."

Inuyasha smirked. "What? Do you want chicken fingers or something?"

Kagome laughed, concluding the mirth with a sigh. "Not _chicken fingers_. More like…a chicken burger."

Inuyasha tightened his lips together to prevent a laugh from curdling out of his throat. He couldn't have imagined a more endearing request.

"A chicken burger?"

Kagome pouted. "I said don't make fun of me."

Inuyasha smiled. "I'm not making fun of you," Inuyasha argued with a touch of hilarity in his tone. Inuyasha watched Kagome's cheeks become engulfed in pink and he smiled at her again.

"I have to say though," he continued. " _Kozue_ definitely doesn't have chicken burgers on their menu. But, I suppose for the price I paid to reserve the place, the executive chef would have been able to make you one."

"You're making fun of me," she bickered, a pout evident on her lips and brow. Inuyasha fought back the urge to kiss the protruding bottom lip.

"I'm not making fun of you, Kagome," he consoled with a smile. "It's…cute."

"Chicken burgers aren't _cute_ ," she retorted tenaciously. "Besides, I'm not going to _die_ if I don't get one. You're the one who asked me what I felt like."

Inuyasha laughed again then cleared his throat to obtain Totosai's attention. "Do you know where we can get chicken burgers around here, Totosai?"

Kagome felt her body devour itself with embarrassment. Why on _earth_ did she have to say the first thing that came to her mind?

There was silence for a few moments before Totosai's smiling eyes appeared in the rear-view mirror. He too had found Kagome's choice of food charming.

"Yes, Mr. Taisho. There's a restaurant in the next district that has crispy chicken which my daughter was quite fond of when she was pregnant with her first child. I'm certain I could place a call to request a reservation."

"No," Kagome spoke up, leaning forward in her seat. She turned eager eyes towards Inuyasha. "We don't need to empty the place out. Really. We can just go in. It doesn't matter who's in there."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "You're telling me you won't care if people flock to our table for autographs and selfies with you?"

"Uh…" Kagome grumbled in response.

"Or you're saying you can be able to eat in peace knowing that people won't stop staring at you or talking about you from the moment they see us?"

Kagome bit her lip. That whole situation, including hearing Inuyasha call them 'us', made her stomach recoil.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at himself, realizing he was right. Kagome didn't want any of that.

"Totosai?"

"Yes, sir."

"Call them and place a take-away order."

"Yes, sir. Other than the sandwiches, are there any other requests?"

Inuyasha turned questioning eyes to Kagome, but she feverishly shook her head back and forth.

"No," Inuyasha stated.

"I'll call right away, sir."

Kagome felt her cheeks warm and she idly played with a button on her cardigan. She had no idea how they went from going to one of the most expensive, fine dining restaurants to ordering take-out chicken burgers.

Inuyasha turned a playful smile towards Kagome. "Your chicken burger is on the way."

Kagome shook her head and tried to laugh away some of her embarrassment. "Thanks," she mumbled.

After pulling into the parking lot, Totosai exited the vehicle and returned minutes later with brown paper bags filled with Kagome and Inuyasha's order. The welcoming smell of hot food caused Kagome's stomach to growl and flip in excitement. Inuyasha instantly noticed the escalation in Kagome's mood upon the food's entrance into the car and he couldn't fight the smile that took over his face. He liked knowing he had directly done something to make her happy.

"If it's all the same to you, Kagome," Inuyasha stated as Totosai backed up the car and turned back onto the main road. "I'd prefer if we didn't eat in the car, but I know a place nearby where we can go."

Kagome nodded, understanding completely. She didn't trust herself not to spill on her outfit or the white leather seats anyway. She smiled inwardly. She supposed when you're as rich as Inuyasha, the impracticality of white leather wasn't important.

In what felt like a blink of the eye, Kagome turned her gaze outside to see that the cityscape had disappeared behind them. Towering trees zoomed by the car as they drove, and the sound of gravel under the tires caused Kagome to offer Inuyasha a questioning look.

Inuyasha merely smiled in response before turning to look out his own window. Even though he hadn't been to this clearing in a long time, he appreciated that Totosai still remembered how to get there. After Inuyasha's father passed away, Inuyasha had spent hours at this clearing.

The vehicle coming to stop, Kagome's puzzled look intensified, and Inuyasha merely stated, "We're here," in response, before grabbing the bags of food from Totosai and opening his own car door. Before Kagome could gaze through the front windshield of the car, Totosai opened her door and helped her out of the vehicle.

Following behind Inuyasha, Kagome turned to look over her shoulder as Totosai got back into the driver's seat and seemed to play with the dials on the car's radio system.

"He's not coming with us?" she asked with wide eyes.

Inuyasha snorted. "Why would he?"

Kagome had no response to the comment.

After a few paces, the smell of the food mixing pleasantly with the summer evening and forested scenery, Kagome saw a lone, albeit random, picnic table at the top of a shallow hill they had ascended.

Placing the bags on the table, Inuyasha turned a questioning glance to Kagome, curious to know her thoughts once she took in the sight before them. Kagome uttered a small, bewildered, "Oh wow," as she stood beside the table, her fingertips just grazing the wooden top.

There was nothing but treetops as far as the eye could see. In the darkening sky on the horizon, the hunter greens became luscious blacks, and Kagome's eyes zigzagged down the steep decline a few feet in front of her.

"How did you know about this place?" she asked, not turning to look at him.

Inuyasha sighed. "I used to come here a lot."

"It's so nice," she responded, her tone laced with wonderment. Inuyasha couldn't fight the triumphant smirk that grew from the corners of his slender lips. "Although, the single picnic table is a little random," she laughed, turning over her shoulder.

Inuyasha laughed and nodded in agreement before digging his hand into the bags and placing the contents on the table. Kagome happily sat down on the firm, wooden seat and unwrapped her dinner.

Taking a small bite of her sandwich, Kagome wanted to roll her eyes into the back of her head at the taste. It was _exactly_ what she was craving. The saltiness of the breaded chicken, the sweetness of the mayonnaise. And was that a brioche bun? Kagome lost herself to the indulging taste of her meal she had barely noticed that Inuyasha removed himself from the table suddenly, only to reappear moments later with a cooler in tow.

"What is that?" she asked after swallowing a greedy mouthful of her dinner.

Inuyasha smiled at her knowingly— _how can his eyes be so expressive without saying a word_ , she wondered as her stomach flipped—before opening the cooler and retrieving a bottle of white wine and two plastic cups. Kagome couldn't help the laugh that escaped her throat.

She wanted to open her mouth to laugh out, "How romantic," but the words got caught in her throat. Her cheeks reddened at the thought of uttering such a phrase.

"Sandwich any good?" Inuyasha teased, looking at the almost non-existent food item in Kagome's clutches. She blushed and nodded her head, chewing slowly and contemplatively.

The _blub-blub-blub_ of the bottle's contents into her assigned plastic cup reverberated through the country air, and Kagome smiled. She couldn't have pictured dinner at _Kozue_ being any better than this. Even though he may have completely booked out the restaurant, the empty restaurant couldn't possibly compare to the isolation and privacy of the two of them sitting at a picnic table, surrounded by trees on a picturesque hillside.

"The wine's a nice touch," she teased, raising her cup to playfully cheers Inuyasha's. He snickered at the response, but acquiesced to the gesture. Their cups made a dull _thump_ when they touched.

Kagome's eyes turned more golden brown that chocolate brown in the warm-coloured sunset, and Inuyasha felt his appetite completely wane. His eyes traced the firm lines of her shoulders, the gentle curls of her hair in front of her breast, the curve of her bangs around her emotive eyes. Sitting across from her, Inuyasha felt his heart thudding loudly, grateful for the breeze that cooled his dampening palms. He couldn't imagine a better light to see her in. Sunsets agreed with her, as did the hint of pink that constantly graced her cheeks while in his presence. He wondered what he did right in a previous life to deserve her smile or the kind expression on her face when their eyes met. He wondered if she felt as nervous around him as he did around her, and he pondered what he could do or say to allow himself to sit on the same side of the bench as her.

"Everything okay, Inuyasha?" she asked suddenly, her head cocked to the side. "You haven't touched your food, and you're kind of quiet."

Before his brain registered the words his mouth had already prepared, he replied, "Just enjoying the company."

Kagome's eyes shone bashfully, and a small smile poked itself out of her mouth. He heard the breathy laugh escape her plush lips.

"You know," she said with a sigh, after swallowing a mouthful of the delicious golden beverage. "I really needed this."

Inuyasha watched her turn her gaze outwards at the darkening horizon. How was it the sky became noticeably darker without ever doing so conspicuously to the human eye?

"It was a long week," she sighed.

"I know what you mean," Inuyasha breathed in turn; however, the week had been long for him for different reasons. Feeling his heart climbing into his throat, he too had to divert his gaze away from her. The more Inuyasha saw the strands of hair linger on her cheeks the more he had to fight the urge to lean forward and tuck them behind her ear.

"Was it at least somewhat enjoyable at the house?"

Kagome turned widened eyes to him, her heart softening at the tender, almost vulnerable, tone of his question.

"Of course," she smiled lightly. "You've been more than generous with me, Inuyasha," she continued. "It's just been kind of hard to acclimate to a lifestyle so different than the one I had."

"I'm sorry I wasn't around much," he grumbled, scratching at his cheek. He tried to come off as indifferent; however, his tone undermined his intention.

She shook away his apology, his tone lost on her. "You can't help being busy."

"Well, I could have told those interviewers to fuck off," he argued. "It was your first week there."

She smiled and wrapped her fingers delicately around her cup. "You can't be around all the time, Inuyasha," she laughed. "Besides, I'm a big girl. I _can_ be by myself sometimes."

Inuyasha felt himself pout. He wasn't getting his point across. Gripping his hands into fists, he was glad the sun had finally set and his features weren't completely visible to Kagome.

"You idiot," he mumbled rashly, "Don't you realize I didn't want you to be alone after what happened?" he blurted inarticulately. Well, he figured, he had started so he may as well finish the thought, regardless how idiotically it came out. "It doesn't matter that I was busy, I should have made you a priority. You're _my_ guest after all. It's my responsibility to make sure you're coping okay."

"Inuyasha," she gasped softly. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to digest the sincerity of his words. Somehow, even his calling her an idiot had been endearing.

"I could tell how upset you were when I saw you those few times. I shouldn't have brushed it off like I did. It's obvious you were having a hard time and I didn't do anything about it."

"I'm not your responsibility, Inuyasha," she argued quietly, her eyes surveying the tabletop. "You don't need—"

"You're staying at _my_ house, aren't you? That makes you my responsibility. Kagome, I—"

Inuyasha made the mistake of turning his shaking eyes to meet hers. The second their eyes locked, Inuyasha lost all confidence. When had the pulse of his own heart consumed his chest? When did his mouth become caked with dryness?

"Don't you get it?" he mumbled again, each of their eyes pacing back and forth to look into the others'. Inuyasha swore at any moment his tremulous heart was going to force itself up his throat and out of his mouth. "I want you to be happy, Kagome. I don't want you to be sad anymore. What—"

The look on Kagome's face stalemated the question hovering on Inuyasha's tongue. Before he could take a breath to force the inquiry into the physical world, Inuyasha watched with curious, stormy eyes as Kagome stood slowly from her side of the bench, rounded the table, and straddled the seat beside Inuyasha. The image of her straddling the pew caused Inuyasha's heart and groin to quake in memory of how he had found her that afternoon.

The memory disappeared just as quickly before his eyes when he felt a timid hand slide atop his on the tabletop. The softness of Kagome's thumb caressed the backs of his knuckles, and Inuyasha felt his body stiffen from the contact. 'Thank you' didn't seem like enough just then. Kagome felt her heart grow in size from the amount of appreciation she felt towards him. Where her words didn't feel good enough to convey what she felt, she hoped her actions could. Steeling her emotions, Kagome had rested her hand on top of Inuyasha's, relishing in the feel of his hardened, bony knuckles underneath her fingertips. Her face so hot, she didn't have the capacity to look at him.

"What can I do to make you happy, Kagome?"

The question that had barred itself in the back of his throat finally gained the nerve to drive itself from his lips. The look of complete admiration and appreciation on her face wasn't completely lost to him.

"You've already done so much," she whispered, raising her other hand to cradle his hand gently between both of hers. Her clutch tightening around his thumb, Kagome's nails tickled the palm of Inuyasha's hand. She felt overheated from the contact, something unknown stirring in the pits of her stomach. Her mind was a racing muddle. Her body was running on autopilot, acting purely on its own whims and impulses.

"Kagome," Inuyasha replied, his tone not quite a question, not quite a statement.

Kagome's palms became chilly under the crisp nighttime air once Inuyasha removed his hand from hers. Feeling her heart thud within her ribcage, Kagome initially saw the movement as an act of rejection. However, she felt her body swoon under the contact of Inuyasha's palm rounding the back of her neck, underneath her hair. Goosebumps ravaged her skin as his hand brushed her hair away from her shoulder to clear his path to the back of her neck. She fought the urge to close her eyes as his thumb gently stroked, back and forth, the small area where Kagome's ear met her jawline. She held her breath from the gentleness of the contact, her eyes frozen in smouldering shades of amber.

"Inuyasha," she murmured with a release of air. Her tone was the exact answer Inuyasha sought as his eyes paced between hers.

When she had first sat across from him at the table, Kagome sincerely regretted leaving her cardigan on the car seat. The skin along her arms had puckered under the evening breeze and she had wished she had the garment with which to shield her naked shoulders from the unsheltered air.

Now, Kagome's body was so warm her forehead felt on the verge of sweating. When Inuyasha's other hand rested on her flesh, specifically the area where Kagome's neck met her shoulder, Kagome audibly gasped from the pleasure of his rough, calloused palm. With one hand behind her neck to guide her towards him, and the pressure of his other hand the only thing keeping her body firmly planted on the seat, Kagome's breath hitched when Inuyasha guided her lips gently, tenderly to his. As Inuyasha's nearing face became the only thing she could see, Kagome instinctively closed her eyes, her heart nearly exhausting itself in expectation of what was to come.

Kagome's brain becoming a blank sheet of white, she did the only thing she could think of in response to the contact of his lips on hers: she raised her arms from her lap and connected her fingers around the back of Inuyasha's neck. Pulling against him ever so slightly, Kagome leaned her upper torso into his, paying no mind to how completely she straddled the side of his thigh. Inuyasha released a muted moan as Kagome wrapped her fingers around his neck. He fought the urge to intensify the kiss, ensuring he kept his tongue firmly planted behind his teeth. He didn't want to rush it. He didn't want to push her where she wasn't ready to go.

Her lips were softer than he thought they'd be. As her mouth moved deliciously, delicately against his, Inuyasha allowed the hand that had been on her shoulder to rub the length of her arm affectionately. He felt a growl growing within his chest in response to how she moulded her mouth to his.

He could feel the warm breath from her nose on his face, and Inuyasha couldn't help but tighten his grip against the back of her neck. His thumb protruding across her cheek, he pulled her into him, needing to feel the warmth of her small body against his. Inuyasha felt her lips move away from his briefly, her gasp of air like music to his ears. Inuyasha hadn't realized he had closed his eyes at some point; however, when he opened them, her swirling coffee eyes met his.

Even though their kiss had, technically speaking, ended, their lips still hadn't parted. Kagome could feel Inuyasha's breath tickle the sides of her mouth, and her reddened lips brushed against the softness of his. Their eyes examining the other's, Kagome couldn't fight the panting smile that shot across her face, crinkling the corners of her eyes. Her teeth grazed Inuyasha's lips as she smiled against his mouth, and the action caused Inuyasha to laugh through his nose. Resting his forehead against hers, Inuyasha brazenly captured her mouth once more, his heart drumming rampantly at the little moan she contained within the depths of her throat.

Capturing her cheeks in both palms, Inuyasha intensified their second kiss, feeling his groin pulse upon recognizing the warm moistness of her tongue provoking his bottom lip. Inuyasha opened his eyes then, their lips still connected, to take in the pleasing sight of a closed-eye Kagome, her cheeks flushed, her long eyelashes trailing her cheekbones.

So distracted by the desire to hold her, to kiss her, Inuyasha didn't realize—nor could he have cared less—that his untouched dinner had gone cold.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

*Swoons* Did I get their first kiss right? :) 3


	15. Two Months

**Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Two Months_

* * *

Kagome would have described her first two months at Sengoku Manor as "interesting".

One of the greatest changes to have taken place was that Sango was around more. The change happened directly because Miroku found out about Sango's legal background. Having taken over all of Inuyasha's responsibilities, Miroku determined he couldn't comfortably juggle all the roles required of him by Inuyasha: head of security, head of the household, PR manager, general associate to Inuyasha—or Inuyasha's _bitch_ as Miroku put it bluntly to Sango—and assistant to Inuyasha's solicitors. Even for Miroku, it was becoming too much.

When Miroku overheard the girls talking one day, and learned that Sango had education making her eligible to take over his work with the lawyers, Miroku jumped at the opportunity to unburden himself in any way possible. With Inuyasha's initially hesitant blessing, Miroku had made Sango the offer to become Inuyasha's legal representative and collaborator at the house. Sango happily accepted the opportunity, even though it was only part time, since it would allow her to spend more time at the house and with Kagome. Although, as the months passed, Sango also realized she appreciated being able to spend more time with Miroku.

Much to Kagome's delight, as she grew used to her living arrangements at the manor, she loved having Sango around more.

Sango's company, to some extent, made up for the fact that Kagome's family wasn't willing to come to the manor house to visit. After a month of not seeing her family, and her mother's constant apologies that she couldn't visit—although she never did provide reasons for why she couldn't—Kagome decided to take it upon herself to bridge the gap that had developed between her and her family. One Sunday afternoon, when everyone else in the house was busy, Kagome had asked Totosai to take her to the Shrine. However, once they got there, and Kagome saw just how many people populated the Shrine's grounds that afternoon, she told Totosai to forget it and take her back to Sengoku Manor. How could she expect to have a quality visit with her family when the visit would be so public? Never mentioning the attempted visit to her family, for the past two months, Kagome had settled for the occasional group chat with her mother and grandfather, and texts from her brother.

Kagome found the days slow but the weeks fast. She couldn't have been happier that she had the company of her friend more often; however, according to Sango, Inuyasha's lawyers were incredibly old and even more disorganized, so it was clear Sango had her work cut out for her. But, Sango's being busy never stopped her from taking lunch with Kagome or spending an afternoon on the back patio with her friend.

During Sango's increased time at the house, it was obvious to Kagome that Miroku also enjoyed Sango's company. He would drop everything to answer a question Sango had about an administrative process. He popped into the office several times throughout the day when she was working, asking if she needed anything. There were even times when, forced to work through her lunch, Miroku brought her a tray of food and drink so she wouldn't go without while working. Overall, Sango seemed sceptical of Miroku's kindnesses; however, she eventually grew to appreciate the man's considerate attention.

Nevertheless, Sango was acutely aware of how Miroku flirted with the female staff at the house, and she heard the risqué conversations he shared with a few of the security guards around the property. Sango knew Miroku was a dangerous flirt and womanizer. Many times, too, Sango found herself the centre of Miroku's flirting. It wasn't lost on her the times when she saw how obviously his eyes dipped to look at her breasts when they were talking, or feel his eyes on her backside when she walked away. His playful teasing combined with his genuine consideration of Sango seemed to level the man out in her books. The more time spent with him, Sango realized she liked his doting on her, but she also found herself sprouting feelings of jealousy when she saw him focus his attentions on another woman.

Kagome appreciated the friendship that had developed between her and Miroku while she was at the house. Miroku had been very accommodating to Kagome as well, making himself available to her whenever she needed. When he left the grounds for work, he frequently returned with books or movies for Kagome to entertain herself with. He had arranged for Kaede to leave snacks specifically for Kagome that he learned, through Sango, Kagome liked. Even if he was in the middle of something, when Kagome came around, Miroku would stop for a chat to ask her how her day had been going. She saw how thoughtful the man could be, and she wasn't oblivious to the spark between him and her friend.

As for Inuyasha, things between him and Kagome had been…annoying.

Kagome didn't know how to read him. One second they were sharing in the most romantic first kiss she had ever had, and then the next second he's bickering with her over trivial things. That is, when he was even around at all. Kagome had deliberately gone behind his back to leave the grounds with Totosai that one afternoon. When they returned, Kagome had been overwhelmed with guilt when listening to Inuyasha yell at the driver. When Kagome chose to stand up for the older man, Inuyasha merely walked away with red cheeks. She hadn't meant to tell him off then; however, her pent up frustration for his mixed signals got the better of her.

Dinners were quiet between them. Even the evenings when the four friends sat outside with a glass of wine it seemed that Inuyasha's conversations with Kagome were polite but minimal. He was stubborn about her leaving the property without him, which bothered Kagome more days than others. When the cabin fever sometimes became too much, Kagome found solace in the quiet of the backyard, preening the gardens that had been ultimately left alone since Kouga's work was decommissioned. She figured she had learned a thing or two from her short time at RTL that she may as well put a few of those skills to use. That is, until the gardener's Miroku hired didn't appreciate Kagome doing their job.

Most days, as the morning, then afternoon, then evening crawled by, Kagome found herself seeking episodic distractions from her thoughts about Inuyasha.

Whenever they were around each other, she wasn't ignorant of the looks she occasionally received from Inuyasha. In fact, the looks were the source of her confliction. Some meals, Kagome would turn her eyes upwards from her plate to find him already looking at her. She would even have argued that sometimes his eyes appeared sad. When their eyes would meet for the briefest of seconds, whether that was while they were on their respective jogs, or Inuyasha walked into a room when Kagome was there, Inuyasha always seemed quick to look away or leave.

Kagome resorted to convincing herself that he regretted the kiss, and Kagome just tried to move on best she could. Although, when she felt convinced that Inuyasha wanted nothing to do with her, she found him staring at her again. Kagome's embarrassment at catching his glances usually trumped the desperation within her to know what his deal was. Sango tried to comfort her friend best she could; however, even the more experienced female struggled to read Inuyasha's signals.

The occasional time Kagome grew restless with the situation, she tried to think about other living arrangements that could be open to her. However, when the newspapers or TV reminded her that she and Inuyasha were still heavily on the public's mind, thoughts of leaving the manor were extinguished. Kagome knew the media and general public would flock to her the second they saw her, and that was more unappetizing to her than Inuyasha's mixed signals.

Tired of wallowing, Kagome had decided to make the best of her situation. However, it was still frustrating for her to juggle Inuyasha's distance, their semi-frequent bickering, and trying to understand the kiss that had happened. Much to Kagome's chagrin, there had been no other signs of intimacy between the two of them. At the end of the day, when her frustration with Inuyasha was running high, Kagome was just grateful for Sango's company. Her friend was a welcome distraction from Kagome's continuous wondering about why Inuyasha acted the way he was.

Inuyasha's arm had healed up completely, causing him to resume his regular schedule of afternoon swims when the August heat became too much. Kagome, not wanting to go near the pool house since Inuyasha walked in on her, had avoided the pool at all costs. Instead, she had decided to make use of the active wear Yura had coordinated for her, and Kagome started going for daily runs around the ground's parameter. Running, she found, was an acceptable replacement of the solace she felt while swimming. Other times, when she wasn't running, Kagome passed the days with the books and movies provided to her by Miroku. At least, these were the things with which Kagome occupied herself while Sango was working. When the girl was free, and Miroku wasn't vying for her attention, Sango and Kagome were inseparable.

Sango had been excited to start the job, coming to the house in her suits and business formal attire—her outfits signifying that she was there for work and not a social call. While working, Sango would disappear for hours at a time into Inuyasha's office—he wouldn't allow her to use the other office in the house—performing all the paperwork, research, or auxiliary legal services required by Inuyasha's team of lawyers. The first morning Sango had been there, she and Kagome sat in the smaller of the two dining rooms, drinking coffee, when Sango received a direct call from one of Inuyasha's senior lawyers requiring the girl to attend a meeting on Inuyasha's behalf. Kagome couldn't recall the last time she had seen her friend so excited.

With the passing of most weeks, Sango found herself at Sengoku Manor, most days, for breakfast through dinner. There was even a few times when she ended up staying the night for the convenience of not having to travel home and then return the next morning. Kagome had been more than accommodating, telling the maids in the house not to bother with preparing another room. It had been far too long since the girls had one of their semi-regular sleepovers.

During their time together, Kagome had been very forthcoming to Sango about what had happened between Kagome and Inuyasha, including the incident at the pool house. Sango had almost fallen off the bed in stitches from Kagome's recount of the story; however, ultimately, Sango had praised the situation, stating Kagome and Inuyasha likely would never have had that opportunity to be alone at the clearing if Inuyasha hadn't walked in on her. Kagome had grumbled that she may have agreed; however, Sango had changed the subject then to focus on the kiss.

Kagome's eyes glazed over with complete admiration when she reflected on that evening. From Inuyasha being gentleman enough not to bring up his walking in on her—in fact, that confrontation had never been discussed between them—to his gentle yet incredibly sexy instigation of their first kiss. Kagome felt her heart tremor in delight at recalling how genuinely concerned Inuyasha had been with her well-being and happiness, and Kagome couldn't help how often that memory came to mind. He had started the chase, and Kagome felt goosebumps at the thrill of it. She frequently relived the memory of his taking her cheeks between his palms and guiding her reddened lips to his once more. When lost to the nostalgia, Kagome often came back to reality disappointed. She wanted so much more. After two months, a dejected Kagome would have just loved to spent time with him alone. She longed to feel his lips against hers again, whether or not that led to anything else. There were a few times when Kagome wanted to approach him and request they spend some time together—especially to figure out what that kiss meant to him—however it almost seemed like he was intentionally keeping himself from being alone with her, and a good time never seemed to appear where Kagome could ask.

Although Kagome didn't know it, Inuyasha wanted to be alone with her more than anything. However, when the second month of Kagome's being at the house was upcoming, he had intentionally begun to sequester himself from her. Inuyasha spent all his energy ensuring security had more of a presence. He scoured the grounds himself for signs of tampering. He even went as far as having Miroku and Sango connect with his solicitors to learn whether Inuyasha could legally install extreme security measures, like electric fencing, on his residential property. Whatever he could do to ensure Kagome's safety, Inuyasha wanted to do it.

Inuyasha knew that the number 'two' contained incredible amounts of symbolism to the Family. From Kagome's second week there to any day of the month with the number two in it, Inuyasha wasn't willing to take any chances. He felt badly being somewhat curt with Kagome when she and Sango wanted to leave the property to go shopping or when Kagome wanted to visit her family, but he couldn't help it. He didn't want to risk Kagome leaving the safety of the property. He knew he couldn't keep her here forever, but he needed time to develop a plan. When he could see Kagome's cabin fever was getting the best of her, he felt guilty, but he knew a safe and slightly annoyed Kagome was better than an injured, or worse, Kagome. He was doing this for her own good. The Family had marked her, and Inuyasha needed to keep her safe.

Especially after that kiss.

From the moment he felt the electricity of their lips touching, and Kagome's tongue prodding his bottom lip to intensify the kiss, Inuyasha wanted to be with Kagome more than anything. But he couldn't allow himself to get close to her. Not yet. He needed his head clear and his wits about him, especially as another milestone "two" was around the corner. If the Family was going to do something, it would be now, or soon. Although it took all of his willpower to stay his raging heart and not ask Kagome to join him for another evening on the clearing, Inuyasha knew that some distance would keep them both safe. The Family preyed on weakness, he kept reminding himself, and the closer he got to Kagome, the more of a weakness she became to him. If he was too obsessed with wanting to be with her, he was more likely to miss something. So, he kept his distance. He needed to stay alert.

It was a Saturday morning when the four friends sat around the smaller of the dining room tables, only taking up one end of the sixteen-seater. Kagome sat beside Sango and across from Inuyasha. He hadn't once looked up at her from his breakfast that morning. Sango, made aware by Kagome of Inuyasha's unexplained coldness or reservation from her, kept her eyes peeled on the man, trying to read his expressions and body language to help her friend understand what the kiss may have meant to the man or how he felt about Kagome. As usual, in the past month, Sango was just as unable to read Inuyasha as Kagome.

Kagome sat at the table silently. From the moment she woke up next to Sango she felt irritated. It was going to be a long day. Her mind was running in circles: how was it Inuyasha could have instigated their first kiss, said such incredibly romantic and considerate things to her, and then nothing? No more dinner requests, no more late night drives, no more kissing. Nothing.

"Sango, you remember our scheduled conference call with the partners this morning?"

Sango turned her eyes to the welcoming visage of Miroku's cool, contemplative eye. He was the first to break the silence since the four of them sat at the table. Sango couldn't help the slight intensity of her heart rate when she locked eyes with the man.

"Yes, I remember. With a senior partner?"

"With _the_ senior partner," Miroku corrected. "To my knowledge, I don't believe you have interacted directly with the man. He's a tad…"

"Crotchety," Inuyasha added, his eyes not deviating from his omelette.

"Old school," Miroku opted for instead. "As much as I don't agree with his mental models, I'm afraid you may have to prove yourself a bit more simply because you're a woman."

Sango sighed and rolled her eyes before offering Miroku a smile. "Being a female in law, it's not the first time I've encountered sexism, Miroku. Thank you for the warning, but I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" the man prodded, piercing his breakfast with a chopstick. "I wouldn't mind setting aside some of my morning schedule to join you for the call."

"You just want to be in the same room as her," Inuyasha spoke up bluntly after a mouthful of coffee. Sango reflexively turned her eyes to her plate and tried to self-talk the blush away from her cheeks. "Sango's proven herself plenty competent," Inuyasha continued, finally lifting his eyes from his plate. He turned his bright eyes to Sango. "She'll put Old Man Jojogi in his place."

"Thank you, Inuyasha," Sango beamed, appreciative for her employer's kind words.

Turning a quick eye to Kagome, who had barely spoken a word at the table, Sango tried to lean forward to catch the girl's eye. Sango wanted to review her notes again before her call with Jojogi, but she also didn't want to leave an introspective Kagome alone at the table. The fact that Inuyasha hadn't said anything to her—let alone looked at her—was heavy on Kagome's mind.

"What do you plan to do today, Kagome?"

Kagome blinked her eyes rapidly in response to her name. Turning her questioning eyes to Sango, Sango smiled understandingly at her friend, patting the girl's knee affectionately under the table.

"Oh, I'm not sure," she said, herding some diced onions and peppers around her plate. "Likely a run. I'll probably call Souta again to see if he's willing to take some time away from studying to visit."

Sango leaned closer to her friend, her eyes emotive. "You know they'll come around soon," she whispered. She was all too aware of the male onlookers across the table. "Give them some time, Kagome."

"Two months isn't enough time?" Kagome laughed, releasing her grip on her chopsticks and leaning back in her seat. "If anyone will visit, it's likely Souta. Mom and Gramps seem pretty dead set that I need to go to the Shrine to visit."

Sango frowned. "You tried, Kagome. Don't be hard on your—"

"—No, no, I understand, Sango," Kagome interrupted, an appreciative smile on her face. "It's just—"

The jovial chime of Kagome's ringing phone interrupted her train of thought, and she turned bewildered eyes to her dress pocket. A hopeful swell expanded in Kagome's chest. Maybe her brother had been omniscient that he was being talked about. Raising her phone to her ear with an optimistic 'hello,' Kagome couldn't help the slight tinge of disappointment that caused her shoulders to sag when the caller identified themself as Kouga.

"How you doin', Kagome?"

"Hi, Kouga. Not too badly, thanks. You?"

The stiffening of Inuyasha's posture at the sound of the male name went unnoticed to the others at the table.

Kagome, not wanting to be rude, tried to stand to excuse herself from the table; however, when her eyes met Inuyasha's wide, questioning—she would have even used the word 'imploring'—ones, she sat back down onto the leather cushion of the dining chair and gripped her phone tightly. She angled her eyes down towards her lap, as if that would partition her off slightly from the others at the table.

"I was looking at the books this morning, Kagome, and I wanted to check in with you. It's been two months since you started your leave. How are you feeling?"

"Thanks for checking in, Kouga. That's really thoughtful. And I'm good. It's been a quick two months, that's for sure."

Inuyasha had to bite his lip not to frown at the appreciative tone in Kagome's voice.

"You know, Shippou was asking about you the other day," Kouga chuckled. The warmth of his tone over the phone caused an involuntary smile to cross Kagome's face. "He wanted to know when you were coming back to work. It made me realize I haven't spoken to you in a while, so I thought I'd give you a shout."

Kagome guiltily pulled her mouth to the side in a frown. "Honestly, Kouga, I don't know when I'll be ready to come back. If I will be ready, even. I just…" she paused, shaking her head, her words jumbled. She truly didn't know why she was having this conversation publically at the table. At least Miroku and Sango had been kind enough to start a conversation between the two of them. The fact that Inuyasha's eyes hadn't left her the moment she answered Kouga's call wasn't lost on her.

"No, it's okay, Kagome," Kouga stated supportively. "You know you'll always have a job here, whether that's now or a year from now. 'Kay?"

Kagome laughed and shook her head, even though Kouga couldn't see the gesture. "You know I was only there for a week, right?" she chuckled. "You're being too nice."

Inuyasha clenched his fists under the table. He didn't like hearing that tone in Kagome's voice directed at another man.

"Nonsense, Kagome," Kouga smiled in returned. "You left a really positive impression here, you must know that."

Kagome turned her gaze down to her lap, her wide, brown eyes running the length of her dress's hem across her thigh. She licked her lips. The gesture caused Inuyasha's mouth to go dry. He wanted to know what he could do to get her off the phone. He didn't want to see her blush or lick or bite her lips in response to another man. That was supposed to be for him. Inuyasha's jaw began to ache from how tightly he clenched his teeth together.

"Anyway, Kagome, I was wondering," Kouga paused, licking his own lips to get out what he wanted to say. "Do you have any plans this afternoon?"

"This afternoon?"

Miroku heard the murmur of a growl rumble jealously in Inuyasha's chest, and he turned his eyes away from Sango to look at Inuyasha. Miroku couldn't hide the understanding smirk that took over his face.

 _What do you expect the poor girl to do when you kiss her, and then take no notice of her for two months? You're an idiot, Inuyasha_ , Miroku thought, shaking his head gently. Miroku knew Inuyasha's intentions behind keeping his distance from the girl; however, how was she supposed to know Inuyasha's feelings behind the scenes when he tried to hide them from himself, let alone her?

"Um," Kagome continued, licking her bottom lip. "Nothing," she shrugged. "Why?"

"Would you like to have lunch with me?"

Kagome felt her cheeks warm uncomfortably under Inuyasha's gaze. Her neck and shoulders felt heavy under the heat developing across her face.

 _Maybe the kiss wasn't that great_ , an insecure voice shouted to the surface. _I mean, what else could explain why Inuyasha hasn't shown an interest in you since then?_

 _Don't listen to her, Kagome_ , another voice consoled. _He's a famous celebrity. You don't know what his schedule's like, or how busy he's been. You see the way he looks at you. You know he likes you. Say no to Kouga, it's the right thing to do._

 _Do you_ really _know that though?_ The other voice countered. _What has Inuyasha done in the last two months to prove that he likes you? Kouga has checked in on you consistently since the home invasion. Say yes to Kouga._

 _It's true that Kouga has been consistently nice. But you know how you feel about Inuyasha. True, we don't know what's been going on with him, but how could he not like you after that kiss? Would his eyes linger on you the way they have if he wasn't even slightly interested?_

 _Oh_ , the other voice responded facetiously. _You mean the kiss that happened_ two months ago? _What's the harm in lunch with Kouga? Maybe a little rivalry might even be good for dear Inuyasha to get his shit together._

Kagome shook her head to silence the two conflicting voices. She hated that both voices spoke parts of the truth. She knew she was interested in Inuyasha and that it hurt he hadn't shown much of an interest in her after they shared, what she thought, was an emotionally-charged kiss. However, she also knew that Kouga had never given her reason to doubt he was a nice guy. He'd been more than accommodating of her situation, showed a genuine interest in her well-being, and he asked her out to lunch.

Why shouldn't she accept? Because of Inuyasha?

"You still there, Kagome?"

Kagome blinked her eyes as she escaped her introspection, and she rolled her eyes at herself.

"Yeah, sorry, Kouga. Yeah," she said resolutely, straightening her back in her seat. "Lunch would be nice."

 _It's just_ lunch _,_ she argued to herself. _Inuyasha isn't my boyfriend; I don't owe him anything. If another guy wants to take me out, then Inuyasha can just deal._

 _Atta girl!_ One of the voices encouraged. Kagome felt her breast rise with pride.

"That's great, Kagome! That's really great," Kouga cheered. "It's nine o'clock now. Let's say one PM at Manitou's downtown. I'll meet you on the patio. Would that work for you?"

Biting his lip to keep himself quiet, Inuyasha fidgeted restlessly in his seat. His rage was threatening to leak out of every pore. He wanted to get Kagome's attention to tell her not to go out with this guy. The only thing keeping him quiet was the fear of looking like an idiot. Releasing a strained breath through his nose, Inuyasha wanted nothing more than to punch this guy through Kagome's phone.

"That sounds great, Kouga. Thank you. I'll see you then."

Kagome hadn't anticipated the table lighting up with conversation the second she ended the call with Kouga. Sango turned an eager smile to Kagome to inquire about the details of her agreed-upon date with Kouga. Miroku turned to Inuyasha with outstretched hands to ward away the man's anger. And Inuyasha couldn't bite his tongue any longer.

"Are you _kidding_ , Kagome? You can't go out with that _guy!"_

Kagome's mouth opened slightly and she blinked confusedly at Inuyasha. "Why not?"

"Because," a flustered Inuyasha argued. "The guy hasn't passed our security clearance. Who knows what his deal is."

Sango rolled her eyes and Miroku sighed audibly and crossed his arms.

"It's just lunch," Kagome argued. She furrowed her eyebrows at him. "I'll take Totosai with me. It's a public place, I'll be fine."

"No, that's not the point," Inuyasha contended childishly. "How well do you know this guy?"

Kagome shrugged with tightened lips. "Well enough, I suppose. Kouga's a nice guy. Besides, what's it to you, Inuyasha?" Kagome finally asked with a tenser tone.

" _Feh_ ," Inuyasha responded, leaning back hotly in his chair and crossing his arms. "It's nothing to me. I just thought you didn't want to be in public, is all. Plus, we don't know this guy so I don't trust 'em."

Kagome rolled her eyes then leaned forward in her chair. "First, if it's nothing to you, then don't worry about it. Second, I've been cooped up in this house for so long I'm more than happy to stand a couple of hours in the public eye. Besides, nothing's _happened_ for two months. I don't know what you're so on edge about. I'll be fine."

"You don't know that," Inuyasha argued, his dark brows tightly drawn. "What if—"

"—Nothing will happen," she interrupted. "What's the worse thing? I get hounded by the media?" Kagome rolled her eyes. "If anything, Kouga will protect me. I'm sure of it."

Kagome's words set Inuyasha on edge and he sat forward madly in his chair.

"That idiot can't do shit for you, Kagome!"

"Inuyasha," Kagome softly mumbled, her eyes wide.

The suddenness of his words hung in the air heavily between the two of them for a while. Miroku and Sango were severely silent, both sets of eyes dancing between the arguing couple. Eventually, the harshness of Inuyasha's words dissipating, Kagome narrowed her eyes as anger caught in her throat uncomfortably.

"Inuyasha, how can you not see how _bored_ I am?" she quarreled. "You, Miroku, and Sango all have stuff you can do. Meanwhile, I'm stuck in this house trying to find ways to entertain myself while waiting for one of you to become free. I don't have my car to take myself out. I don't get to run my own errands. You even give me a hard time about seeing my family! I'm going _out_ , Inuyasha," she sighed hotly.

"Don't be an idiot, Kagome. You don't understand," he asininely bellowed, leaning forward in his own chair to counter Kagome's gesture. "That guy's a douchebag, Kagome. He's—"

"—I don't _care_ what you think of him," Kagome interrupted, her cheeks going pink from shouting. "You don't _know_ Kouga."

Inuyasha growled. "I know that dick well enough! He worked on my property for two weeks. I think I—"

"—Are you _jealous_ , Inuyasha? Is that it?" Kagome interjected, her tone teasingly sardonic. With a raised eyebrow and flushed cheeks, Kagome watched his eyes widen.

"What?" He almost choked on the word. Hiding his emotions behind his sarcastic emotional wall, Inuyasha rolled his eyes. " _Feh_. What the hell would I have to be jealous of? I don't give two shits if you like the guy, Kagome. If you want to date the bastard, that's fine. But if he turns out to be a real prick, don't come crying to me."

Kagome held back the questions and rage that she wanted to direct his way. _What about the kiss?_ She wanted to scream at him. _What the hell was that between us a few months ago? Do you_ really _not care, Inuyasha?_

"You're a jerk, Inuyasha," Kagome mumbled suddenly, the browns and blacks of her eyes storming intently to keep tears from shedding. Her blustering eyes never left his.

Inuyasha was left speechless by Kagome's sudden comment and the intensity of words he didn't mean to say, which came flying out of his mouth due to jealousy and stupidity. Kagome pouted angrily, barricading in her throat the questions she wanted to propel at him. Turning her eyes away from the intensity of his, she pressed her palms to the table to stand. Before walking out of the room, Kagome turned an apologetic smile to Miroku and Sango. She tried not to pay any attention to Inuyasha through her peripherals.

"Sorry for spoiling your breakfast, you guys," she uttered before turning to leave the room.

Miroku and Sango continued to sit quietly, trying to make subtle their glimpses of Inuyasha once Kagome left the dining room.

"God _dammit_ , Kagome!" Inuyasha seethed between his teeth before screeching his chair out underneath him and storming from the table.

Miroku and Sango sat in silence for a few seconds. A sigh whistling out through Sango's teeth was the first thing to break the quiet.

"You're an idiot, Inuyasha," Sango exhaled, shaking her head as she reached for her tea.

Miroku mirrored her incredulous sigh and head shake. "You couldn't be more correct, Sango," he conceded.

* * *

Kagome sat her body down heavily in the limousine's back seat, her head resonating with the silence of the vehicle once Totosai shut the door behind her. She hated the montage that had been playing in her head since breakfast.

' _You idiot. Don't you realize I didn't want you to be alone after what happened? It_ _doesn't matter that I was busy, I should have made you a priority. You're my guest after all. It's my responsibility to make sure you're coping okay.'_

Then, Kagome's cheeks burned in memory of feeling of his palms on her cheeks, his tongue stubbornly not leaving his mouth despite her aching desire to taste him. He had kept their first kiss gentle, cautious. He wouldn't allow either of them to get carried away. At the time, Kagome was frustrated by his reservation. However, now, it only proved how gentle and meaningful the kiss had been. Or, at least seemed to Kagome.

The image of the kiss melded away into the look on Inuyasha's face right before she rounded the table to sit beside him.

' _What can I do to make you happy, Kagome?'_

Then…

' _Are you jealous, Inuyasha? Is that it?'_

' _What? Feh. What the hell would I have to be jealous of? I don't give two shits if you like the guy, Kagome. If you want to date the bastard, that's fine. But if he turns out to be a real prick, don't come crying to me."_

Kagome's lips flapped from the intensity of the exhale she pushed out her mouth. Keeping the back of her head against the seat, she turned a lazy eye out the window as the car began to move. Kagome never used to struggle this much when reading people; in her entire life, she had never struggled to understand a man this much. She could easily tell Kouga was interested in her, she wasn't that dense. But Inuyasha? He was so hot and cold with her. He was the king of mixed signals. Did he like her at all? How could he one second beg her to tell him what he could do to make her happy and then suddenly distance himself from her for months? Did he not burn like she did to repeat that kiss?

Leaving the gates of the manor's property, Kagome's eyes surveyed the ample countryside, knowing they would find themselves in the city in a few short minutes. Frustration with Inuyasha was hot on Kagome's mind, and she gripped her phone tightly in her palms in her lap. Despite how badly she wanted to understand Inuyasha, a part of her also felt guilty for allowing thoughts of Inuyasha to occupy her mind when going on a date with another man.

Did she _really_ agree to go on a date with Kouga? Kagome's cheeks flushed at the realization that Sango's ability to read Kouga during their first week at RTL had been spot on. What about Ayame? Kagome pondered. Was there anything between those two? Did she know Kouga had asked Kagome to lunch?

Kagome scrunched her nose at the amount of questions she had spinning around her brain. It always frustrated her when she had more questions than answers.

' _What can I do to make you happy, Kagome?'_

 _Ugh_ , Kagome thought, resting the side of her head against the window. _Being straight with me would be a good start. Stupid, Inuyasha._

 _You know_ , a voice spoke up from her muddled mind. _You could be the one to let him know how you feel. You don't need to wait for him to make the first move_.

Kagome grumbled in her throat, an action she hoped would stop those annoying truth-saying voices.

With her right temple leaning against the cool, tinted glass, Kagome's eyes followed the lines of hills marking the countryside along the road. She felt her heartbeat increase within her chest and she tried to evaluate whether the cause of it was her frustration with Inuyasha or her anticipation of seeing Kouga for the first time in a couple months.

A moving object in her peripherals caught her attention, and Kagome sat up to observe the item directly. What she had initially thought was a tractor in the distance was actually a vehicle that looked to be a large sport utility vehicle.

 _That's a strange place for an SUV_ , she thought, watching the dust fly up from the back tires and surround the vehicle. Squinting her eyes, Kagome tried to make out the model of the vehicle, but she couldn't decipher any distinguishing features because of the amount of dust encasing the vehicle.

As Totosai made a left turn, the SUV was out of Kagome's line of vision and she faced forward in her seat, immediately replacing all thought of the vehicle with concerns to do with Inuyasha.

Gripping her phone once again, Kagome activated the screen and bore her eyes into the message application icon. Miroku had given her the phone numbers of most of the security staff, a line to the manor house directly, Miroku's number, and even Inuyasha's. Kagome had never really thought anything of having Inuyasha's number before, other than the fact Inuyasha once told her to call him or message him any time she needed anything if he wasn't at home. However, once Inuyasha had given all his responsibilities to Miroku, he had never been too far away. Although, Kagome would argue that Inuyasha seemed much further away despite his being in the same house. He seemed like he was intentionally keeping himself away from her, and Kagome just wished she knew why.

Kagome's phone vibrated with a text message from Kouga telling her he just arrived at the restaurant. He sent another text immediately describing where he was seated on the patio, and ended the message with a smiley face emoticon. Her eyes taking note that it was 12:45pm, Kagome responded that she was on her way and turned off her screen.

Her eyes staring incessantly at the blackened screen of her cell phone, Kagome resolved that she needed to distract herself with things outside the vehicle. Otherwise, she would give in to the temptation to message Inuyasha to make him explain his earlier behaviour. He was so confusing.

Turning her head to look out the window on the other side of the vehicle, Kagome saw the SUV again. The large white vehicle was still driving through the field. Cocking her head to the side in confusion, Kagome unbuckled her seatbelt and slid over the bench seat to the other side of the car.

 _Why on earth aren't they driving on the road?_

Resting her hand on the window ledge, Kagome angled her head to look further out the window, her nose pressed against the glass. The SUV, barely within her sights, emerged from a dust cloud, just turning onto the road behind the limo. Kagome guessed the vehicle had to be approximately six car lengths behind them. Peering her eyes, she still couldn't make out the emblem on the front; however, Kagome would have guessed from the headlights that the car was a Toyota or Lexus. Kagome's eyes traced how the pearl white hood was covered in a mustard-coloured grey from the car's driving through the sandy farmers' fields.

The occasional tree on the side of the road gave way to small and large residential buildings, eventually turning into large commercial buildings once Totosai drove into the city. Kagome watched as Totosai turned right at an intersection and, curiously, she turned to see the SUV do the same a few cars behind them.

Laughing at herself, Kagome criticized her wandering mind for watching too many crime-related TV shows. She guessed that the road they just came off was one of the main roads leading from the country to the city. Looking at the traffic around them, she continued to venture that the street they turned onto was one of the main grids leading to the downtown area. _Of course_ there would be other vehicles taking the same route. Rolling her eyes at herself, Kagome faced forward again.

Still, unable to deny the nagging sensation rising in her chest, Kagome sat forwards with the intention of changing her seat. Pushing herself off the leather, Kagome chose to sit herself on one of the seats facing the rear of the limo. This way, she wouldn't have to turn her head to look out behind the limo; the rear window gave her a perfect view. With the back of her head facing the mostly-closed privacy window between her and the front seat, Kagome kept her eyes focused on the exterior of the limo. Stopped at a red light, Kagome watched people on sidewalks turn from their phones or companions to look and point at the stretch limo. She felt a little ridiculous riding in such a luxurious vehicle; however, Totosai explained that Inuyasha was adamant Kagome take the limo rather than any of his other vehicles. Despite Kagome's incessant 'why's' directed at the older man, Totosai had merely smiled and said he was just following Inuyasha's instructions.

The light must have changed because the limo began moving once again. Looking out the rear window, Kagome saw that the SUV was now three cars behind them. There was a Honda Civic, followed by a Rav-4, followed by a Mazda, and then the dirty SUV in question. Biting her lip, Kagome wanted to tell herself she was being silly. How long had the Civic or the Mazda been behind them? She was merely obsessing over the SUV because she decided to pay particular attention to it. It was no different from the time one of her headlights had been out and she started to notice all the other vehicles with only one headlight. Or, when she realized the multitudes of white Corollas in Tokyo once she bought hers.

Totosai took another left. Kagome watched as the Rav-4 went straight, the Civic disappeared she didn't know where—she hadn't really been paying attention—and the Mazda continued to follow them. Her brows furrowed when she watched the SUV turn behind the Mazda. Kagome had been right; the SUV was a Lexus.

Curiosity and concern twisting in her stomach, Kagome rotated her phone within her hands. Unsure how to explain the rationale screaming at her from the back of her mind, Kagome turned on the screen and sent an impromptu text to Sango.

 _ **How can you tell if you're being followed by another car?**_

Sango's response had come almost immediately, and it wasn't a surprising remark considering the randomness of Kagome's initial text.

 _ **What?! Why would you ask?**_

Kagome bit the inside of her cheek, leaving Sango's text unanswered. She watched as they passed through a light about to turn red. Able to see the now crimson streetlight through the rear window, Kagome bit her cheek a little harder when she saw the SUV accelerate to cross the four-way intersection. It wasn't blatantly running a red light; however, it was very close. She needed to be sure. She was probably just being crazy. But the 'what if's' flying through her mind caused her stomach to flip uncomfortably. She just needed to be sure.

Her heartbeat resonating noticeably throughout her chest, Kagome rapped on the privacy window with her knuckles and Totosai immediately rolled down the glass.

"Yes, miss?"

Kagome gulped. "Totosai, um, do you think you could go around the block a few times before dropping me off at the restaurant?"

Her mind raced to try to think of an explanation should the man ask her why she had made such a strange request. However, to Kagome's relief, Totosai merely responded, "Of course, miss," causing Kagome to take a hungry lungful of air when she realized she had been holding her breath expectantly.

For the first two left turns, the Mazda had kept the limo separated from the Lexus; however, when Totosai made the third left, almost completely rounding the block, Kagome watched in horror as the Mazda continued straight, but the Lexus turned behind the limo.

The Lexus SUV was directly behind them now. By the first complete rounding of the block, it became clear to Kagome that the Lexus was following them.

"How many times, miss?" Totosai asked, seemingly oblivious to the trailing vehicle. Kagome's eyes never left the SUV through the tinted rear window. She couldn't make out any distinguishing features of the driver through the SUV's windshield, or how many individuals may have been in the car. She swore the darkness of the tint must have been illegal.

"Please," Kagome's voice quivered. "Just a few more times."

Kagome gripped her phone tightly as she watched in stunned alarm as Totosai completed his third lap of the block and the Lexus was still behind them. A coup of some sort intervened briefly; however, once the limo made another left, the coup went straight and the Lexus was next in cue once again.

Despite her fear and anxiety in the back seat, Kagome didn't know that Totosai had been fully aware of the Lexus since it first made its appearance on the country road. Intentionally having taken an indirect route to the downtown, he became aware of their pursuit long before Kagome. Before Kagome had asked Totosai to round the block several times, Totosai had followed protocol and paged Miroku, planning to alert the man to the current situation. However, Kagome's knocking had caused the driver to roll down the privacy window, preventing him from answering Miroku's call in order to appease Inuyasha's primary rule.

 _If there is danger, potential or not, do not bring it to Kagome's attention. You hear me, old man?_

Inuyasha had given Totosai the instructions directly, and Totosai tightened his grip on the steering wheel as he made another left turn. Totosai swore to himself when he realized that Kagome picked up on the situation herself; what else would cause her to make such a strange request? The driver released a hesitant breath as the screen on the middle console lit up with another call from Miroku. Stopping behind a large bus at a red light, Totosai released a jittery breath. Trying to weigh his options, he didn't know where to look: at the back of Kagome's head, the car following the limo, or at Miroku's name on the console.

* * *

Miroku swore under his breath when Totosai didn't answer his second call. When he leapt up the stairs to Inuyasha's office, Miroku stood in the doorway with widened eyes upon seeing Sango holding out her phone to Inuyasha. Sango was showing Inuyasha the text she received from Kagome about being followed.

" _Fuck_!" Inuyasha raged as he stormed out of the room.

Sango watched, horrified, as Inuyasha's chair swung in wobbly circles from how roughly he had propelled himself out of it and out of the room. Miroku, staying the chair with both hands, tried not to let the panic of the situation affect him. Detaching a walkie-talkie from a belt loop on his pants, he paged the security supervisor on duty. Miroku spoke the instructions slowly and clearly into the mesh covering of the speaker.

"Send out the van. Kagome is in danger."

"Yes, sir," came the prompt response, and Miroku attached the device back to his pants with not another word.

"Miroku," Sango called hesitantly, breaking the silence, her eyebrows tight with worry.

Seeing her bronzed eyes begin to shimmer with the onset of tears, Miroku reached forward to grip Sango's hand tightly in his. Squeezing her fingers gently, he tried to offer her a comforting smile, but the uncertainty of the situation hung heavily over both their heads.

When the time was approaching for Kagome to leave for her outing—Inuyasha refused to call it a date, his jealous temper wouldn't let him—it had taken all of Inuyasha's willpower not to follow behind Kagome and Totosai. Sango had advised against it, and, like an idiot, Inuyasha had listened.

"Kagome will be pissed if you follow her," Sango had warned. "Give her time, Inuyasha. She'll come around. I honestly don't think she's even all that interested in Kouga."

Inuyasha _hmph_ 'd in memory of Sango's words. Not that Kagome's interest in that douchebag Kouga even mattered...

The memory of letting Kagome go without a fight caused his heart to quake within his chest. Inuyasha flung his body down the stairs as he ran to the garage. Punching in the garage door's passcode, Inuyasha bent at the waist to enter the garage, too impatient to wait for the door to open itself fully. He barely thought to buckle his seatbelt before gunning his silver _Porsche Panamera Turbo S_ out of the garage. His tires squealing, Inuyasha urged the car forward out of the property's gates.

"Fuck," he hissed, unable to stop shaking his head with disbelief.

' _Feh. What the hell would I have to be jealous of? I don't give two shits if you like the guy, Kagome. If you want to date the bastard, that's fine. But if he turns out to be a real prick, don't come crying to me.'_

Inuyasha's earlier words resonated heavily in his mind as he kept skipping his eyes to look through his windshield then lower to observe his speedometer and the clock.

"I'm a fucking idiot," he hissed to himself, continuing to shake his head. How could he have talked to her like that? He should have apologized before she left. He shouldn't have let her go at all. He hated that his inaction from a stupid, childish jealousy allowed Kagome to be in this situation. Surging down the country road, Inuyasha swore and abrasively struck his palm against the leather steering wheel. His skin stung from the contact.

" _Fuck_ , Kagome," he cussed, his heart aching fearfully.

Skidding as he madly rounded a corner, the city slowly entered into his view. Wishing he had the control of a manual car, Inuyasha merely applied greater pressure on the foot pedal to heave the car forward. Thankfully, the car was turbo charged, and it didn't take much goading to have the car accelerate several kilometres per hour faster.

The interior of his car ringing with a high-tone chime, Inuyasha kept his head forward but diverted his eyes to the middle console. Inuyasha couldn't answer the call fast enough when the name "Kagome" appeared in white, bolded letters.

"For fuck's sake, Kagome," he shouted gruffly after accepting the call. The standard 'hello' greeting never even occurred to him. He was just relieved to hear from her, relieved that she chose to call _him._ His chest was heaving from how little air he could get into his lungs.

"Inuyasha," she cried. He could hear the fear lacing her voice. He could only imagine how she must be feeling, alone in the back of the limo. The thought caused a growl to escape Inuyasha's throat.

Entering into the city was a disaster. People crossed at designated crosswalks, safety arms descended to ward vehicles and people from passing trains, streetlights directed the flow of traffic. Inuyasha didn't give two fucks about any of them. He needed to find Kagome. He needed to get to Kagome. Flooring his acceleration pedal, Inuyasha surged through a light just barely turning red. A woman screamed at him to slow down, but Inuyasha ignored her. His eyes turned back to read the name on the console. _Kagome._

"Where are you, Kagome? What is Totosai doing? Do not leave that car, Kagome, do you hear me? I don't care what happens. Do not fucking leave that car."

"We're just going in circles around the block," Kagome cried, her voice cracking when she said 'circles.' The sound of her gulping down saliva crackled over the car's Bluetooth speakers. "Inuyasha, you were right. I shouldn't have—"

"Don't you dare," he barked, interrupting her. His knuckles were turning white from how tightly he gripped the steering wheel. "Don't you dare apologize, Kagome. Getting you out of this situation is the only thing that matters. Do you understand?"

Kagome nodded, then spoke an unsteady 'yes' when she realized Inuyasha couldn't see her nodding her head.

"What is the car that's following you?"

Kagome gulped. "It's a white Lexus SUV."

"Do you know the model? What's the registration plate number?"

"There is none."

"What do you mean _there is none_?"

Kagome took a trembling inhale. "Where there should be a plate, there isn't. I don't know."

" _Fuck_ ," Inuyasha muttered under his breath. Pressing his foot heavier on the acceleration, Inuyasha watched as he forced the car through an obvious red light. A couple pissed off drivers honked at him as they skidded to avoid Inuyasha's oncoming car. However, Inuyasha couldn't be bothered to worry about them. He just kept driving.

"Kagome, where in the prefecture? Where are you right now?"

"Uhm…near Takashimaya," she breathed. "I'm not—," she took a breath to stay her maddening pulse. "There's a large men's formalwear store we keep driving by. It's called—"

"Sakamoto's," Inuyasha interrupted. "I know the area. Tell Totosai that, no matter what, he will not stop moving that car. Tell him, Kagome. Right now."

"O—okay," she stuttered. She did as she was told.

Inuyasha sat tensely, dodging a car turning right and running an almost-red light. He was able to push the car fast enough to evade the lowering arm warning of an oncoming train. Inuyasha was grateful he chose to take one of his cars with the best handling.

"Inuyasha," Kagome almost choked suddenly. He could hear the tears and urgency in her voice. "Inuyasha, there's a man leaning out of the passenger window."

"What?" he snapped.

"He—he's," Kagome stopped, trying to control the tears that wouldn't stop rolling down her cheeks. "Oh my God. Inuyasha," she cried as another wave of tears consumed her. "There's a gun in his hand, Inuyasha."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

I know I spoil you all with relatively quick updates, so apologies for the delay with this one. It was just one of those chapters that required rewrite after rewrite. It got the point where I was like: Welp! Good enough, haha.

I also just wanted to take a quick second to give particular thanks to the following people for their continued support and positive reviews of the story:

NarukoSon

Shiroi-Papillon

lolalove85

Chelsea Tygers

eternalnight8806

Warm-Amber92

Taino Delsan13

Min-chan17

You guys have been such wonderful and loyal followers since I started this story, so thanks a million.

To everyone else who is keeping up with the story and updates, it's for you guys I'm doing this. Thanks so much for taking enough of an interest in my humble lil story.

'Til next time! :3


	16. You Saved Me

**Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _You Saved Me_

* * *

Totosai's ears resonated and burned with Kagome's cry to Inuyasha about the gun. Before the old man even saw the revolver in the limo's right side mirror, Totosai slammed his foot on the gas to race ahead. Shouting a "hold on, miss" to Kagome in the back seat, Totosai barely slowed down to round a corner.

The driver's stomach dropped upon noticing how promptly the SUV responded to the limo's attempted escape. The passenger with the gun—his upper torso sprawling out the window—held onto the roof of the car, the gun still extended, as the SUV speedily rounded the corner then dodged around two cars in the next-most lane.

The SUV was trying to position itself alongside the limo.

Totosai reacted on instinct, steering away from the SUV, intentionally placing another car between the limo and the SUV. Totosai feared he knew what the SUV longed to do, and it didn't bode well for the limo's inhabitants.

Totosai turned his eyes, his heart throbbing, to watch the SUV jut to the side towards the limo mere seconds after Totosai had moved over. The SUV's front hurtled into the back bumper of the car Totosai had placed between them. The car fishtailed uncontrollably before rushing towards a storefront. Totosai turned his red eyes away when he heard the fateful, crunching impact, unable to stomach what he had just had a hand in doing.

However, as he watched the SUV encroach closer, Totosai realized that if he hadn't created that instinctive distance, the SUV would have collided into the limo. His wrinkled eyes lowering, the speedometer reminded Totosai that the limo travelled 60 kilometres over the speed limit. The speed and the environment hot on his mind, Totosai's mouth dried at the sudden reality of what would have likely happened to him, to Kagome, if the SUV had made that contact with the limo.

As Totosai drove on, he watched the SUV continuously try to get alongside the limo. This much was clear to Totosai: the SUV was dead-set on ramming the limo off the road.

A groan lurched up Totosai's throat and between his teeth as he just barely avoided rear-ending a mini-van. The SUV less than a car length behind the limo's bumper, Totosai drove the limo a lane over, desperate to keep that gap of distance between them.

He just needed to buy time.

While Totosai wove in and out of traffic, avoiding the SUV, Kagome fell on all fours onto the floor of the limo. She covered her head and released a scream. The rear wheels of the limo jerked over the edge of a curb, tossing Kagome's body from side-to-side across the car mats.

The recognizable sound of a car crash rang in Kagome's head. Then, she screamed again. The sound of a gunshot ricocheted past the vehicle.

"Keep your head down!" Totosai shouted, gripping the wheel and turning down a side street, trying to evade the three bullets that came rippling after the first. The driver's eyes quaked as he bade mental apologies to the pedestrians he watched dive out of the limousine's way.

Turning his gaze to his rear-view mirror, Totosai's eyes stung to see the SUV demonstrate no regard for the people or objects it trampled in its chase of the limousine. Holding his breath, Totosai cranked the wheel, twisting his arm, to avoid a lamppost.

Over the engine whirring and the road noise, Kagome heard pedestrians screaming around the car. It sounded like a few people were crying while she could clearly hear others screaming 'gun'. In her attempt to hide away from the windows at the sight of the gun, Kagome had reflexively dropped her phone from her hand. The device lay screen down on the floor, just a few fingers out of reach. Sobs caught in her throat, Kagome didn't have the capacity to check if Inuyasha was still on the other line. Her knees aching from the textures of the car mat, Kagome's body jostled unsteadily, tears freefalling down her cheeks.

Kagome's body jolted sideways and she fell onto her side, tossed by the motions of Totosai's flustered driving. She screamed when more gunshots sounded behind her, followed by the screeching of the limousine's tires. Kagome felt tears drippling onto the backs of her hand from her downcast head. She gasped for air when a loud crack hit the rear window of the limo. Taking a chance to angle her head upwards, Kagome's bottom lip quivered.

A bullet wedged itself into the glass, cracks like spider webs surrounding the grey metal. Her chest heaving, Kagome swiped her palms over her cheekbones to dry her face. Immobilized by her fear, Kagome instinctively stuck out a hand when the limo screeched to the right and Kagome's body fell to the other side. Holding herself upright, her back against a car seat, Kagome tried to control her laboured breathing.

She had been tossed around so carelessly she had no idea which direction she was facing. She heard the continued screams, car horns blaring, and she instinctively flinched whenever she heard the heart-rending crunch of metal on metal. Turning her eyes upwards, lingering fearfully on the bullet in the window, she gasped, horrified, as another two bullets drove themselves into the pane. Shaking her head, her mouth open, Kagome tried to blink away her fear.

She pushed herself onto her hands and knees. Her legs screamed in the pain from the mat texture indenting into the reddened, bruised flesh of her knees. She also flinched in pain, not realizing she had twisted her one ankle when the car flung her around. Kagome felt adrenaline pushing her to action. She couldn't just sit there.

"To-Totosai!" she shrieked from her position on the floor. Her head snapped to the side in response to a sharp, tire-squealing turn. Her face contorted in a cringe at hearing two vehicles collide just moments after.

"Stay on the floor, Kagome!" the old man wailed from the front seat.

From her level, Kagome couldn't see Totosai through the privacy screen or the SUV behind them, which, from the gunshots, revealed their pursuit.

 _Why are they doing this?_ Kagome's mind screamed constantly.

Her fear stabilizing in its intimate dance with her adrenaline, Kagome blinked her eyes furiously. She couldn't stay like this. She couldn't leave it up to Totosai to save her life like this. She needed to do something. Not knowing what options she had for proving herself useful to Totosai, Kagome realized the first necessary step was to get herself off the floor.

Fear and desperation clinging to her chest aggressively, Kagome slowly inched her bum off the ground and sat herself in a low slouch on the seat behind her. Totosai, seeing Kagome's head come into his vision in the rear-view mirror, shouted at her to get down, to keep herself safe, but Kagome needed to see the pursuit for herself. She needed to see the face of the man who held the limo at gunpoint.

The limo jostled Kagome around as Totosai took a sharp turn down a cobbled road. Holding her breasts to her chest to prevent the painful, rough bouncing, Kagome turned behind her, to peer at Totosai through the open window to the front seat.

"Why are they chasing us?" she begged, her eyes widening. She watched in fear as Totosai zigzagged all over the six lanes of traffic to maintain his speed and avoid a collision.

Kagome held her breath as she watched the old man expertly direct the limo around oncoming cars who skidded and honked as they tried to stop once they saw the limo bounding towards them. Her heart plucked viciously at the sudden realization of Totosai's driving skills. His hands clutched tightly at 10 and 3 on the wheel, Totosai masterfully chartered the stretch limousine through the congestion, using the sidewalk or shoulder of the road if he had to. Kagome's mouth dried from bewilderment and fear.

Another four gunshots caused Kagome to dive the length of her body along the leather car seat, tucking her head and shoulders into her cradling arms. She puckered her lips tightly to prevent a scream from curdling. She didn't want to be helpless, useless. She needed to be brave. She needed to do all she could to help Totosai. And if that meant congealing her high-pitched, reactive screams in her throat, she would. She could only imagine how distracting her helpless cries must have been to Totosai. She needed to give him the environment he needed to concentrate. After all, she realized with a gulp, due to their speed, one slight alteration of the wheel could lead her to death.

Turning to look over her shoulder, Kagome's stomach dropped at seeing six bullets sheathed in the rear window.

"The car's bulletproof," Kagome half-asked, half-said wildly as she raised herself onto her knees on the seat, facing forward through the window.

Totosai nodded his head without saying anything more than "hold on," and sharply took the next turn. Kagome's fingers hurt from how tightly she clutched the opened window frame to keep her body in place.

 _That's why Inuyasha was so adamant Totosai take me in the limo_ , she thought, her eyes stinging. _Why, though?_ Her mind ached in yearning. _Why would he be so resolute on a bulletproof car? Did he think this would happen?_

"Why is this happening, Totosai?" Kagome shrieked, her thoughts taking verbal form. She turned her head every few seconds to peer over her shoulder at the trailing car.

Her face cringed at seeing the destruction the SUV seemed content to leave in its wake. In the same manner that Totosai expertly evaded and navigated traffic, so too did the SUV. Kagome had to hold her breath to prevent more tears from following. Why couldn't she shake the feeling that this wasn't Totosai's first time in a car chase? Or the SUV's?

Who were the people in the pursuing vehicle the man with the gun, particularly? When he leaned his upper torso out of the window, Kagome couldn't place his face. She stared in horror at the man's image through the webby cracks of the rear window, which distorted the man's face. Her eyes narrowed to trace the green stripes of war paint across his cheekbones and vertically across his forehead. His beady eyes grinned menacingly as he gripped the firearm in his hand. Kagome watched his eyes not even flinch as each bullet barricaded in the limo's direction.

Why was he doing this? What was with the paint? Kagome's mouth grimaced with the thought that the man appeared to have dressed up for the occasion. But _why_? Wave after wave of nausea consumed Kagome's midriff. When another swell of nausea finally teetered, Kagome felt her body vibrating from the fear and desperation to have her questions answered.

"Where are you going?" Kagome shouted instinctively when her eyes looked over Totosai's shoulder. Her body turned rigid as Totosai propped the left side of the limo on the sidewalk to avoid oncoming traffic. Kagome watched in revulsion as pedestrians dove out of the way of the surging stretch limo, and the SUV a few feet behind them.

"Where was Inuyasha?" Totosai shouted at Kagome, not even turning his head to look at her. Kagome blinked her eyes feverishly in response. "When he called you? Where was he?"

She didn't know. She hadn't asked him. Kagome felt her body shaking with adrenaline.

Totosai responded to Kagome's silence as if she had provided him a verbal answer.

Turning over her shoulder, Kagome's eyes tremored: the SUV drove a sedan into the side of a building. Bricks and dusty smoke bellowed from the collapsing building material, scattering into the air and onto the road behind him.

"Those people!" Kagome screamed automatically, raising a hand to her mouth. She couldn't help the few tears that trickled from the corner of her eyes upon seeing the elderly driver crumple into the airbag. As Totosai turned down a road, the accident was gone from Kagome's sight, as if it had never happened.

"Where are you taking us?" Kagome screamed again. This time, she reached her arm through the window to place it on Totosai's shoulder. The bony joint went rigid under Kagome's touch and Totosai turned an apologetic look to Kagome through the rear-view mirror.

"We need to keep you safe, Kagome," the old man hoarsely asserted. "We need to buy time for Inuyasha."

"For Inuyasha to do what?" Kagome spat, her heart hammering away in her sternum.

"Get down!" the driver screamed, bending his arm towards her and motioning his hand madly. "Kagome! Down!"

Kagome's body fell to the seat when another onslaught of bullets came charging at the limo. The windshield took in two more bullets and Kagome's stomach lurched as Totosai drove diagonally, away from the SUV. Pressing her face against the cool leather seat, Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, trying to keep a groan locked tightly in her throat.

After a few moments, she peeked over her shoulder. Kagome could barely breathe when she saw how all the bullet cracks were almost touching. The window may have been bulletproof, but it wouldn't be able to hold much longer.

"Stay as close to the front as possible, Kagome," the old man urged, as if reading her mind. "One more shot and it's done for."

Sitting up, Kagome locked eyes with the man temporarily through the rear-view mirror and she nodded her head speechlessly.

"Where the hell is Inuyasha?" Totosai swore angrily from the front seat, veering across the lanes of traffic.

 _Where the hell are the police?_ Kagome's own mind mirrored. How had they been left alone for so long? Why hadn't there been any interference, any aid sent to them? She had _heard_ the people screaming. She had seen all the collisions, accidents, and damage done from their chase. How could it take this long for anyone to intervene?

But then again, for how long had they been tailed? How long had the SUV been hunting them? Time had no meaning to her then. It could have been hours. It could have been minutes.

Hearing Totosai curse Inuyasha once more, Kagome's eyes landed on her phone facedown on the floor. Keeping her eyes on the rear window, Kagome fumbled to reach for the device while simultaneously trying to keep her body as far away from the cracked window as possible. Her body lying along the length of the car seat, Kagome brought the phone to her chest, turning it on and seeing that she had 11 missed calls. Three were from Kouga. The rest were Inuyasha.

Seeing how many times Inuyasha had tried to call her, Kagome frantically unlocked her phone, pressed her fingertip to Inuyasha's name, and held the device with both hands to her ear.

Crackling and wind howling met Kagome's ear when the call was answered and she strained her eyes to help her hearing.

"Kagome!?" she heard Inuyasha's hoarse voice scream.

She yelled his name into the device in response, but the crackling of the speakerphone on Inuyasha's end, mixed with the road noise, made it almost impossible to hear him.

"I—Behind you—Left—Kagome, get—okay?—Left! Totos—Kago—"

"I can't hear you, Inuyasha!" Kagome cried into the phone, moving it from her ear to the front of her face. She held it in front of her mouth as she kept repeating, "I don't understand," or "I can't hear you."

"I—There! Left! Kago—now! Get Totosai—now!"

"What do you mean 'left'?" she screamed, pleadingly. "Where are you?"

"Turn left now!" Inuyasha's blaringly clear voice screamed at Kagome suddenly, and she sat straight up, immediately shrieking the instructions to Totosai in the front seat.

Kagome's body collapsed heavily onto the floor in response to the immediate jolt of the vehicle. Raising a hand to her head, Kagome looked up to the side window. Rushing to her knees, Kagome stared in horror as the silver Porsche forcefully rear-ended the SUV to ram it forward. The two cars surging forward where the limo had just been.

Kagome understood then. Inuyasha had been trying to tell her he was there. He had found them. He had caught up to them.

Seeing the SUV hot on the limo's trail, Inuyasha had been seconds away from calling Kagome for God only knows the umpteenth time; however, as if she had sensed his intention, she called him. Inuyasha growled as the fucking Bluetooth kept cutting out and Kagome couldn't understand him. He couldn't strike the SUV while it was near the limo. Totosai needed to get the fuck out of the way before Inuyasha could do anything.

Finally, when there was enough of a clearing for Totosai to switch lanes, Inuyasha made his final order. Kagome must have relayed the message to Totosai, because Inuyasha watched the limo dart unevenly into the next lane and Inuyasha held his breath. He stomped the pedal to the ground.

The Porsche lurched from the impact as the front hood collapsed, devoured by the SUV's trunk from the contact. The two cars skidded together. Inuyasha's head reeled from the sound and force of the impact, the windshield crumbling and slicing into her skin from the force. A roar coursed from Inuyasha's mouth as he drove the SUV sideways towards the side of the road, unable to see from the rushing airbag pushing his head into the headrest.

Fighting the white, billowing material, Inuyasha snarled. He wanted the driver dead. He wanted the shooter dead. He wanted those assholes to pay for all the damage they had done, for the fear they had caused Kagome. He wouldn't allow them to get away with this.

Kagome screamed Inuyasha's name as she watched his silver hair disappear once the airbag activated. Her heart pounded from seeing the force with which Inuyasha rammed into the back of the SUV. She watched as the Porsche continued forward, the front end surrounded by the broken trunk of the SUV. The respective ends of the vehicles had crumpled from the energy of the blow. Inuyasha's rear-ending the SUV pushed it away from the limo and drove it toward the barricade along the side of the highway. Smoke poured from the SUV's tires from the driver pumping the brakes. Kagome watched in horror as the SUV crashed into the barricade, causing the two vehicles to pitch upwards from the contact then break apart, the tires bouncing from the force.

Just as quickly as Kagome watched the collision happen, Totosai followed a bend in the road and the scene was gone from her line of vision. Kagome kept her eyes peeled, desperate to see the shattered front end of the Porsche dash into her sight. However, there was nothing: no SUV, no Inuyasha. Yet, Totosai didn't slow down. If anything, Kagome would have sworn the man sped up to get away from what had just happened.

"Totosai! Please!" Kagome implored, her eyes burning. "The SUV's _gone_. We need to make sure he's okay! We need to go get Inuyasha!"

"Stay down, Kagome," Totosai responded, his tone cold and rigid. His fingers ached from the grip he had of the wheel.

"But, Totosai! Pl—"

"Stay down!" the man screamed, his voice cracking.

As Totosai propelled the limo forward, Kagome was choking on tears. The sight of Inuyasha's Porsche colliding into the SUV replayed before her eyes as the limo turned off onto a ramp.

"Please," she sobbed, wiping her bangs from her forehead madly. Impatience and desperation were swelling within her. She felt like a trapped animal. She couldn't stand not knowing if Inuyasha was okay.

The front console ringing, Kagome spun her body to face through the privacy window to see Miroku's name appear. After one tone, Totosai answered the call.

"Miroku!" Kagome screamed through the window, her pitch causing Totosai to somewhat jerk away. "We're on the Toll Road!" she screamed. "Inuyasha was—"

"The van picked him up already, Kagome. Inuyasha is okay. A little cut up, but he'll live."

"Oh, thank God," Kagome wheezed, shutting her eyes as a grateful tear trickled down her cheek. "What about the—"

"Totosai," Miroku said hotly, interrupting her. "Where are you now?"

"We just exited onto Expressway number six. As discussed, we'll be taking the Bayshore Route where I'll transfer Kagome onto the Keiyo Line, which she can take back to the house."

 _As discussed?_ Kagome's mind seethed. _They had a plan for this_ just in case _?_

Miroku sighed tensely. Kagome could almost hear him nodding.

"And the limo?"

Totosai turned to look through the rear-view mirror, his eyes taking in the rear windshield.

"Somehow it's still intact."

Kagome, fearfully, turned to look over her shoulder, amazed that the window hadn't shattered from the amount of metal casings lodged into it.

"Miroku," Kagome spoke up, her voice tense. "Why were they after us? Why would they shoot at the car?"

Miroku groaned over the vehicle's speakerphone. Kagome heard another muffled ring from Miroku's side of the call. It sounded like the tone from a walkie-talkie. Broken male voices communicated over the speaker for a few moments, but Kagome couldn't really understand.

"Totosai," Miroku deviated. "Change of plan. Inuyasha and the van are on route to your location. When you make it to the riverfront, pull off onto the side of the road. Inuyasha wants to take Kagome home directly."

"Understood," Totosai nodded.

"What about the SUV?" Kagome cried. "Why am I in a bulletproof car? What is _going on_?"

"I was just informed that the van exited onto the Expressway," Miroku continued. "ETA to the riverfront is eight and a half minutes."

"Understood," Totosai sighed.

Kagome saw red.

"Why won't either of you answer my questions!?" Kagome hollered with narrowed eyes at the console. "For fuck's sake, I'm _here_!" she screamed, anger coursing through her veins. "You can't just ignore me and pretend everything's okay. They fucking _shot at me_! There was a guy _with a gun_ shooting at the car. Miroku!" she pleaded, her breathing rampant. "Please," she begged. "Tell me what is going on."

Miroku's sigh crackled over the speaker and Totosai's body flinched.

"I can't, Kagome," Miroku breathed. "It's not my place. Inuyasha would—"

"I don't care what Inuyasha would or wouldn't do," she spat. "My life was in danger, Miroku. I want—"

"—Miss Kagome, please," Totosai interrupted, his tone soft and imploring. He made eye contact with her through the rear-view mirror. His eyes almost seemed to beg her silence. "Miroku," he stated, the kindness in his tone shifting to assertiveness. "Confirm with Inuyasha we will meet him at the riverfront. I'm going to engage in the appropriate protocols to ensure we're not being followed to the destination."

"Be careful," was all Miroku said before one of the two men ended the call.

Kagome's chest felt heavy in the silence of the car.

"Totosai, please," Kagome hissed through clenched teeth, her eyes quivering. "Why were we being shot at? Why were those men following us from the house? What is happening?"

Totosai sighed before turning a sorrowful, wrinkled eye to Kagome in the rear-view once more.

"If it were my place to tell you, Kagome, I would, but Inuyasha," he stopped to sigh. Maintaining the formality of address towards his employer seemed hardly appropriate after what had just happened. "It's not easy for him to talk about this stuff."

"What stuff?" Kagome prodded, her eyes narrowing in confusion.

"It was such a long time ago."

" _What_ was?" Kagome asked, becoming impatient with Totosai's indirectness.

"The band."

Kagome shriveled her nose and shook her head back and forth with misunderstanding. "What does this have to do with the band?"

"That man was Suikotsu."

"Which man?"

"The one with the gun."

"You recognized him?"

Totosai nodded after a few second delay, Kagome's words sinking into his chest.

Kagome furrowed her brow and opened her mouth, her eyes searching madly for the answers. "Wait, so you're saying Suikotsu was with the band?"

Totosai nodded before turning his attention to his side mirrors and changed lanes on the highway.

"But…" she paused. "Those three men at the house," she ventured, trying to piece together and understand the big picture. "They were with the band too."

"Yes," Totosai affirmed.

"Wh—why is the band coming after Inuyasha?"

Totosai merely shook his head in response, a gesture that caused Kagome's lips to tighten angrily. Crossing her arms under her breasts, Kagome sat herself down on a leather seat and turned to look out the window, her heart still racing from the earlier chase. She still expected to look out the window and see Suikotsu with the gun. She turned her eyes to the rear window, expecting the bullet-ridden glass to shatter, any minute, under the weight of the metallic stowaways.

When the riverfront came into view, Kagome felt her heart flood with relief. Totosai slowly edged the limousine to the shoulder of the road closest to the water and he released a loud exhale and cracked his knuckles when he finally put the car in park. The last drops of adrenaline still lingering in his system, Totosai left the vehicle running, just in case.

Inuyasha had the van door open before the vehicle even came to a complete stop. The car slowing down enough that he could easily land on his feet, Inuyasha propelled his body forward, landing on the ground with a grunt.

Totosai intended to get out of the limousine to open the door for Kagome; however, the moment the girl's eyes found Inuyasha, Kagome couldn't get out the vehicle fast enough. Her fingers scrambling, tears cascaded from Kagome's face as she flung the door open. Kagome launched herself into Inuyasha's arms, burrowing her face into the material of his shirt as she finally let the tears wash over her body. Inuyasha gripped her so tightly that, if she weren't so devastated by the recent events, she probably would have complained that that he was squeezing her too tightly.

But right now she needed to feel him.

Vehicles on the highway slowed down to watch the fumbling embrace. Passengers took out cameras and smartphones to snap photos of the celebrities, the damaged visage of Inuyasha, the bullet-filled rear window that was somehow still intact.

"Inuyasha, I—"

"Kagome, don't," he interrupted, pressing his lips to the top of her head to prevent them from quivering. He tightened his grip on her shoulders, clinging to her as if he was about to lose her.

Pulling away from the man slightly to look up at his face, Kagome gasped and held Inuyasha an arm's length away, her hands still on his chest. His face was badly torn up from the collision with the SUV. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, down his temple, across his brow. There were lacerations across his entire body, tears in his clothes. His neck throbbed anytime he moved his head, and his right wrist—likely broken from the collision—ached dully by his side.

Tears caught in her eyes, Kagome couldn't help the pained hand that reached upwards to Inuyasha's face, her eyes vibrating with grief as she took in all the cuts and gashes. Her fingers gingerly touched his skin, finally cupping his cheek in her palm. Inuyasha impulsively closed his eyes from the tenderness of her touch. Kagome shook her head at him, her heart pounding.

"That was so reckless," she whispered, his skin feeling hot under her fingers. Her eyes roamed the shape of his eyebrows, the dried blood that connected his lips with his chin.

Inuyasha snorted a laugh and opened his amber eyes to peer down at her, never feeling so relieved in all his life to make eye contact with this beautiful creature. Mirroring her gesture, Inuyasha brushed a loose strand of hair from her cheek and rested his cut hand on her jawline. His thumb trod back and forth across her tear-stained cheek.

"I needed to protect you."

Kagome tried to laugh away the comment, but she couldn't help a few tears that tumbled instead.

"You're such an idiot," she sniffled, dropping her hand from his face to wipe away her tears. Trying to laugh through her tears, Kagome shook her head at him again. "You could have been killed."

Inuyasha shrugged away the comment. Looking over the top of Kagome's head, Inuyasha clued in to the bouts of stopped or slowed traffic around them. He was painfully aware of the cameras and voyeuristic eyes watching the two of them together. Before he opened his mouth to respond to her concerns, Inuyasha wrapped a protective arm around her back and led her into the black van.

In the silence of the vehicle, Kagome stared out the window, the earlier tender moment with Inuyasha now gone. What had been a moment of relief and gratitude that each was safe, melted into the seriousness of what had happened once they buckled their seatbelts. Both sat silently, staring out their respective windows. It didn't feel right to speak; even the security guards were mute. Kagome's body swayed side-to-side gently with the motions of the vehicle. What had been a full car when Inuyasha was picked up after the collision now only had four of them, including Inuyasha and Kagome; a few of the security guards stayed behind with Totosai.

Thinking of Totosai, Kagome felt badly that she hadn't said a word more to the man; she wanted to thank him for saving her life. However, the sight of Inuyasha had overwhelmed her, and everything except him had disappeared in that moment.

"Are you hurt at all, Kagome?"

Inuyasha's low, soft voice snapped her out of her thoughts and Kagome turned to face him. His words sounded almost strange in the former silence. She offered him a small smile of appreciation.

"Nothing permanent," she smirked, turning her eyes lower to look at her ankle.

Inuyasha sighed in response, his brows furrowed.

When the van finally pulled up to the front door of Sengoku Manor, Kagome thought Sango was going to knock someone out in her attempts to seek out her friend. Before Kagome had even left the van completely, Sango had flung her arms around her friend, sobbed into her neck, and almost shoved Kagome to the ground from how intently she latched onto her friend. The two girls held each other, not saying a word, and cried; both of them were grateful to see the other. Miroku had clapped Inuyasha on the back, commending him for saving Kagome, but Inuyasha merely stalked off, too angry to utter a word to anyone, even Kagome.

Kagome detached herself from Sango in hopes of reaching out an arm to Inuyasha before he disappeared into the house, but she was too slow.

The rest of the day went by uncomfortably slow. Kagome lingered in the Jacuzzi tub for a long while, hugging her knees to her chest as she tried to decipher what had happened. Forcing herself to eat despite not being hungry, Kagome headed into the kitchen after her bath, only to find Kaede trying to turn off the radio when Kagome walked in. However, Kagome told the woman not to. She wanted to hear the news, hopeful it would help her understand what had happened.

Suikotsu had died from internal injuries resulting from the collision. Paramedics made it to the scene, too late, in response to an anonymous phone call. When police arrived, there was no sign of the driver. He must have been well enough to flee the scene before authorities arrived.

The news reporter told of the pursuit along the Arakawa River, including mention of the gun, the amount of damage done to public property, and the hype around the public embrace between Inuyasha Taisho and Kagome Higurashi. Apparently, it was the first public display of affection that satisfied the public's hunger to know of any intimacy between the pair. The media made no mention of why the pursuit happened, or what the aftermath of it would bring.

In listening to the news, Kagome was pleased to know there was no mention of Kouga, although, the man had rung Kagome's phone several times, demanding she call him back to confirm she was okay. She had text him she was okay and apologized with all the sincerity she could muster; however, when he called, desperate to hear her voice, Kagome ignored the call. She couldn't stomach an explanation of what happened to prevent their meeting, when she herself was fraught for answers.

Kagome had no appetite for dinner and spent the rest of the evening restlessly in her room. Sango stayed overnight at the house. Miroku arranged an appointment for Kagome the following morning with the authorities; she needed to provide a statement regarding what happened, although she still had no idea, herself, what had actually occurred.

Inuyasha, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen or heard from for the rest of the evening. The briefest, tender moment between them on the side of the highway had ended, and Inuyasha had left her alone once again. But now the public had seen them, and Kagome shook her head angrily at the realization that the embrace renewed the public's obsession with her. However, that same embrace, and his kissing the top of her head, also did nothing to help her confusion regarding him.

Sitting up in her room, Kagome's mind twisted and turned to discover the world now knew that yet another band member had gone after Inuyasha and died because of it. What were the repercussions Inuyasha would face? Would the authorities consider Kagome an accessory? What constitutes murder? Was there intent? What was the result of the last investigation involving the break-in at the house?

Kagome's mind went round and round with questions she had no answers to.

Her phone screen informed Kagome that it was almost three in the morning, but she still couldn't sleep. Sitting up against the pillows in her bed, Kagome clutched her shins to her chest, her brain running itself ragged.

What _really_ happened between Inuyasha and the band? Why were they after him? Why were they after _her_? How could she learn the answers if no one was willing to tell her, and Inuyasha was never around?

Sighing and leaning her head back against the onslaught of pillows, Kagome stared up at the ceiling. She was desperate for something to provide her the answers for which she yearned.

Grabbing her phone, Kagome saw the earlier missed calls from her family; the voicemail icon flashed in the top corner of the screen. She hadn't had the ability to listen to the messages yet. Kagome instinctively cringed at knowing how her mother had likely responded to yet another attempt on her daughter's life, and the fact she had to learn about it through the news.

Kagome's eyes raw and tired from the amount of crying she had done that day, she turned her glance away from the phone and slid down lower into the sheets. The silk nightgown she wore bundled underneath the small of her back, exposing her lower torso to the warmth of the down duvet. Growing suddenly very flustered, Kagome's heart flared up angrily, and she grabbed handfuls of pillows and threw them to the floor. One by one she grabbed at the claustrophobia-causing squares and pitched them away from her. She felt strangled, suffocated. She needed room to think. She needed room to breathe. Her heart rate fluttering obscenely, Kagome grunted with each toss until eventually all the decorative throw pillows. had indeed been thrown. and lay scattered around the room.

Her heart racing, Kagome rested each hand on either side of her on the mattress and stared daggers into the swirling floral pattern on the duvet. She jumped when the soft knock of knuckles on her door sounded from the stillness.

Uttering a hesitant hello, Kagome grabbed for the straps of her nightgown, having a momentary pause, concerned for her modesty in the garb. When her wild brown eyes met the cool, questioning gaze of Inuyasha's gold-touched irises, Kagome's heart presumed to thud even louder.

"You're still awake," he said, opening the door a little further.

Kagome continued to grab at the straps over her shoulders, gulping down a mouthful of saliva. She wanted to gaze down to see how much cleavage the nightgown exposed; however, she realized she couldn't do so subtly. So Kagome just dropped her hands into her lap and stared up at him nervously.

"You too," she responded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears.

She felt very uncomfortable and restless, taking note of her position in her bed and his leaning against her door frame. Kagome's eyes took in the sight of his black, baggy sweatpants and his tight, corduroy-patterned tank top. The muscles of his biceps caused Kagome to gulp. She thought she could almost make out the small scar from where he had been shot those months ago.

"Sorry I missed the pillow fight," he stated with a smug expression, his eyes trailing the floor.

Kagome's cheeks flushed and she impulsively tucked another strand of hair behind her ear. She didn't know whether decency required her to stay where she was or get out of bed. However, her lack of a reply caused Inuyasha to move forward, closing the door behind him. The edge of the bed sank underneath the weight of him where he turned to face her, his eyes low and remorseful.

"I—" He started and stopped just as quickly as Kagome's heart was thudding. He didn't know how to explain to her what had urged him into her room. Should he tell her he saw the light on under her door? Tell her he heard her throwing her pillows around the room? Tell her wanted to check in on her to make sure she was okay?

Realistically, Inuyasha didn't know what had drawn him to Kagome's room. He had just been emanating with such concern and guilt, it was like his body guided him to her room on its own volition.

"I'm glad you're okay, Inuyasha," Kagome spoke up quietly when Inuyasha seemed unable to finish his thought.

The man snorted and rolled his eyes before adjusting his position on the end of her bed.

"I was—"

"—Can you tell me why it happened?" Kagome interrupted, her heart fluttering from within her chest. She turned her eyes to the sight of her duvet, unable to look at him. The thin straps and sweetheart-cut of her nightgown caused her shoulders to feel uncomfortably naked in his presence.

"Kagome," Inuyasha sighed, his tone full of disquiet. He turned his eyes from her. "I can't."

"Why?" she urged, sitting up further in the bed, turning her eyes—hungry for information—to beg his. "Why can no one tell me why that Suikotsu guy came after Totosai and me today?"

Inuyasha's body went rigid upon hearing Suikotsu's name on Kagome's lips. His eyes turned to her questioningly, wanting to know how she learned who it had been.

"Totosai told me who he was," Kagome offered sullenly, able to read his expression. "He said he was in the band."

Inuyasha nodded.

"Why can't you tell me?"

Inuyasha groaned and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "I don't want to talk about it, Kagome."

She breathed heavily through her nose and narrowed her eyes at him. She gripped the material of the bedsheet in her hand to stay her growing temper.

"Inuyasha, listen to me," she pleaded. "You insisted I take a bulletproof car to go meet Kouga. You intercept the man who held the limo at gunpoint. This Suikotsu," Kagome paused, "he wanted to hurt me, Inuyasha." She took a breath before pressing on.

"You were clearly worried about me," she mumbled, her cheeks pink. Inuyasha's eyes widened at her words. "You thought something was going to happen. And," she paused again, "you were right. If it weren't for Totosai—"

"—Stop, Kagome," Inuyasha barked, his tone harsh but his words quiet. "I wish I could tell you, alright? This shit isn't easy for me."

Kagome's eyebrows furrowed. "And you think it is for me? Inuyasha, I've been attacked for reasons I can't even imagine. And you _know_ but won't tell me? How is that supposed to be easy?"

Inuyasha grimaced under the truth of her words. "I know, Kagome, alright?" he snapped, his eyes dark. "I know."

"If you know," she pressed, "why can't you tell me?"

"Because I can't fucking talk about it!" he bellowed. The loudness of his voice caused her to rest her back against her two remaining pillows. Releasing her grip on the sheets, Kagome's fingers ached dully from the tension.

"Inuyasha," Kagome sighed, blinking her eyes madly to try and understand this confusing, enigmatic man. If he hadn't come to her room to give her the answers she sought, why was he here at all? Why had he come to her like this in the middle of the night?

"This was stupid," Inuyasha said, getting to his feet suddenly. The weight removed from the mattress made the bed suddenly feel cold.

Before he could turn to leave the room, Kagome shot her hand out to catch his fingers in her grip. His body stiff, he turned his head to the side, barely able to look at her. He wished he could tell her. He wished the truth of his past didn't have to be so hard to give voice to. He was scared for her. He was ashamed for allowing her to get into the middle of it. He had come to apologize to her; however, he realized the idiocy of it. How could he apologize to her for something he couldn't even talk about?

"Please don't go."

She uttered the words so quietly, so delicately, Inuyasha almost had to strain his ears to hear them.

Returning the grip on her hand, Inuyasha grasped her long, thin fingers in his before sitting back down on the edge of the bed. This time, however, he sat closer to her so their hands could stay connected.

"Kagome, I," he paused, licking his lips. He couldn't take his eyes off the floor. "I shouldn't have let you go today. I—"

"It's okay, Inuyasha," she soothed, rubbing her thumb across his palm. "I'm okay."

"No, it's not fucking _okay_ ," he seethed, turning to her.

The look in his eyes caused Kagome's heart to lunge to life in her chest. For a moment, she genuinely feared the organ would propel itself from her chest cavity, so she raised her other hand to press a fist to her sternum.

"I should have protected you."

"You did."

"No," he snapped with dejected, downcast eyes. "I didn't. I didn't fucking do anything."

"Hey," she soothed, removing her hand from Inuyasha's grip. Leaning forward, Kagome rested the same hand on Inuyasha's cheek, turning his face so his eyes would look at her. His skin flushed under the contact of her palm. While her hand urged his eyes to meet hers, Kagome whispered at him, "Look at me." His quivering fire-touched eyes slowly rose to meet hers, and they were burning for her. She could see the hurt contained in his eyes, the desperation for her to accept his apology, the desperation for her to understand.

"I'm in one piece," she said, her cheeks aflame from the boldness of her gesture. "I'm okay. I'm not injured. I'm _alive_ , Inuyasha. And you know why? Because of you." She smiled at him and caressed his cheek with her thumb. "You saved me."

"I wasn't fast enough, I—"

" _You_ ," she emphasized, turning her head so he couldn't turn his eyes away from her, "saved me, Inuyasha." She licked her bottom lip before meeting his eye again. "The way you did it was really dumb," she laughed. "But I'm still grateful."

Chuckling, Inuyasha rolled his eyes at her, finally gripping her hand on his cheek in his. He squeezed her fingers appreciatively in his, and, to Kagome's surprise, he leaned forward towards her. Her eyes trembled, her face warmed, trying to understand what he was doing. Was he going to kiss her?

Before Kagome's brain registered his actions, her eyes took in the sight of his clean-shaven chin. Simultaneously, she felt warm, moist lips caress her forehead. Kagome blinked her eyes in hopes of dispelling the embarrassment from her vision. After a moment, his other hand rested on the back of her neck, cupping her hair. Kagome closed her eyes, relishing the warmth of his breath on her forehead. When his lips finally detached with the gentlest, sweetest pucker, he rested his forehead against hers, their noses meeting. Kagome allowed her eyes to stay closed as she listened to him breathe, listened to her racing heart. Her neck began to warm from where he rested his hand on top of her hair, and his breath carried the hint of wintergreen and peppermint from when he brushed his teeth earlier in the night.

He opened his mouth to say something to her, but he immediately closed his lips together. There were no words to express just how devastated he had been, how afraid for her he was, how infuriated he had been with himself for allowing her to be in any danger because of him. He wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell her so badly. Why couldn't he muster the courage to talk about the Family? Why were shame and guilt so strong a feeling that they rendered him silent?

When Inuyasha's mind weaved and spun with questions, his eyelids flew open when he felt the gentlest graze against his lips. Blinking his eyes to understand what had happened while he was lost in thought, his heart raced at realizing Kagome had kissed him, _was_ kissing him.

His chest felt hollow except for his pounding heart. Intensifying his grip on the base of her neck, Inuyasha pulled her mouth against his hungrily, revelling in the gasp that flew from her lips and caused her eyelashes to flutter. Their last kiss had been a gentle exploration of trust, of intimacy. Now, Inuyasha's body was consumed with guilt, shame, and desperation for Kagome to understand. He needed her to understand how he felt, both about his past and for her.

Kagome groaned into his mouth when his palm found her cheek again, and she pushed her face into it, enjoying the feeling of his skin on hers. Desire for Inuyasha and a hunger to replace the fear and confusion that had consumed her, Kagome gave every bit of herself into that kiss. Resting her bent fingertips on his cheekbones, Kagome's mouth followed the waves and motions of his. She could feel the glorious sensation of his saliva and breath painting the innermost part of her lips, the parts where not even her lipstick dared to venture.

When his teeth captured the sensitive skin of her bottom lip and puckered the flesh in his mouth, Kagome shuddered. She could feel the tips of his teeth grazing along the sensitive moistness of her inner lip. She moaned against the feeling of his tongue stirring the area of her lower lip. Relaxing her fingers until her palms cupped either side of his face, Kagome sighed into his mouth, her heart thudding with need.

"Kagome," he moaned into her mouth after her sigh. The name caused goosebumps to shoot across her limbs.

Wrapping her arms around his neck one by one, Kagome couldn't prevent the erotic groan that rumbled in her throat when Inuyasha's tongue cautiously trailed the outline of her lips. The sound was all the permission he needed and Inuyasha tightened his hold on her, pressing her breasts into the firmness of his chest while his tongue plunged into her mouth.

Kagome was restless, tightening her arms around his neck, gasping for air, savouring the taste of his moist organ as it explored her gums, the backs of her teeth, the length of her own tongue. She felt his chest rumbling against her breasts, and Kagome's body ached with need. For two months she craved him, begged to know what that kiss had meant between them on the clearing. Now, she could feel his need. She could taste his desire for her, and the thought was deliciously paralyzing.

When Kagome felt Inuyasha's body pressing into hers, urging her onto her back, her eyes flew open with both panic and desire. She couldn't help the juvenile places where her mind went, suddenly remembering she hadn't shaved her legs that morning, or waxed her bikini line. Feeling her body tense against him, Inuyasha pulled back slightly, weakening the kiss.

"We can stop," he said against her lips, placing an isolated kiss on her wetted, swollen pillows. Her lips felt cool from the breath of air seeping between his lips when he spoke.

Loving the feeling of his hands on her skin, his lips on hers, Kagome kissed him again. She couldn't get enough of the savoury sound of the smack when their lips parted, the puff of air when he inhaled through his nose, the wheeze of excitement that left his lips when their heads changed angles, each of their noses pressed against the cheek of the other.

"Inuyasha, I—"

His lips capturing hers again, he seized her bottom lip between his teeth and sucked raveningly on the flesh. He could feel her body tense against his, the reservation in her words. He knew she wasn't ready for anything more. But that didn't mean he needed to stop his exploration of her mouth.

"Inuy _ah_ —" she groaned, unable to complete his name. The sound caused his groin to pulse in need.

Panting against his lips, Kagome pulled back slightly, resting her forehead against his, exploring his cheeks with her fingertips.

"We can stop," he said again, kissing the side of her mouth where her lips met her cheek.

When her eyes looked up at his, Inuyasha's own glazing of lust rendered him unable to understand what her eyes emoted to him. Mistaking her pulling away for something else, Inuyasha leaned away from her.

"Do you want me to go?"

Kagome shook her head as a small 'no' escaped her tender lips, puckered from being sucked, licked, and attended by Inuyasha.

"I don't think I can—" she stopped, her cheeks burning red with downturned eyes. "I'm not—" Kagome sighed, unsure how to phrase her words. "I want to but I—" She stopped when she felt Inuyasha's spotlight eyes on her. Taking a deep breath, Kagome was urged to speak by the fear of seeing him go.

"But even though I," she paused to shake her head. "Can you," she stopped once more, slowly raising her eyes to meet his. The look he saw there nearly toppled him over. "Stay with me?"

Inuyasha wasn't paying enough attention to observe whether her words were a question or a demand, but he nodded while simultaneously reaching for her face once more. Connecting their lips, Inuyasha lovingly circled the tip of her tongue with his, moulding his mouth to hers, relishing in every little moan of hers that his mouth captured like a net.

 _I don't think I can…_ _I want to but I—_

Her incomplete words had been sign enough to Inuyasha that she wasn't ready. But he couldn't help the triumphant smirk that overtook his features at the realization she didn't want him to leave. Kagome wanted him to spend the night with her, even if that just met sleeping next to her warm body, kissing her goodnight, kissing her good morning. Inuyasha couldn't have dreamed of asking for more.

Disconnecting their lips, Kagome watched hungrily as Inuyasha crawled over her legs to the side of the bed, lowering his body down onto the mattress. Her panting breaths loud through her swollen lips, Kagome couldn't help licking her lips as she watched him lay his body down beside her.

"Is this okay?" he asked, laying on his side and altering the pillow underneath his head so he could sit up slightly.

Kagome nodded dumbly in response, simultaneously proud of herself and enraged that she had told him she wasn't ready. The wetness between her legs and the erectness of her nipples argued otherwise, but she knew there would be a time—a better time—when the two of them weren't just responding to the distress they both experienced that day.

Lowering herself down on her elbows, Kagome adjusted her own pillow so she could lay on her side to face Inuyasha. Her cheeks flushed as she met his eyes, a more illuminous pink overtaking the red that had developed in response to their intimate kiss.

When her head rested on her pillow, her eyes dipped to take in the redness of his own lips and listen to the panting of his own erogenous breaths. When her eyes rose, swimming browns met storming golds and Inuyasha smiled at her. Tucking his arm underneath the pillow, Kagome saw the billowing of his bicep and felt her heart thud in response.

"Do you want some of the sheets?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Inuyasha smirked, loving every minute of their current situation. "I'm a little warm right now. Maybe later, Kagome."

Kagome smiled in response, fighting the urge to close her eyes in response to hearing his name on her lips. She had never imagined her birth-given name being one of the most erotic things a man could say to her.

Reaching behind her, Kagome felt her heart thudding as she flicked off the light on her bedside table. When the room became consumed with darkness, she wouldn't have known Inuyasha was still there if it weren't for the sounds of her heartbeat and his panting breath.

The sudden weight of Inuyasha's hand on her blanket-covered waist caused Kagome to close her eyes expectantly. She could feel him shuffling around; however, her eyes still hadn't acclimatized to the dark. Her body went rigid as her mind tried to grasp what he was doing. Feeling the sudden coolness of the duvet being lifted, Kagome realized Inuyasha had changed his mind and decided to climb under the comforter with her.

Kagome's body stiffened when she felt his hand land upon her nightgown-covered waist, the warmth of his palm heating her skin almost to boiling point. Her stomach churned from the warmth, her womanhood pulsed. When the duvet enclosed them both, she could feel his body heat inching closer to hers.

Knee bumped thigh. Breast grazed pectoral. Stomach met pelvis.

She could feel his breath on her eyes, forehead, and the bridge of her nose. His knees bumped her and she gulped deeply, her heart ravenous.

Kagome jumped from surprise when she felt his hand bunch in the satiny material of her nightgown, lifting the material to expose more of her thigh under the sheet. She felt his other hand slither underneath her pillow, underneath her cushion of hair to grip the back of her neck. With her head angled up at him, Kagome removed her hands from her own chest and placed them, daringly, on his.

Inuyasha held back the groan he wanted to emit from the feeling of Kagome's warm palms on his cotton-covered chest. His skin scorched wherever she touched and he pulled her head towards him, gripping his fingers tightly in the material of her nightgown. Even just the feel of her puckering skin underneath the cloth was enough to cause his throat to tighten. He could hear the quivering of her breath with every inhale and exhale between her lips. He could almost make out her searching eyes in the darkness, scouring his face to learn what was to come next. Her heart yearned with every passing second in expectation.

Bringing his lips to her forehead again, Inuyasha planted a soft, almost tickling kiss along her tight skin. With her nose pressed against his Adam's apple, Kagome closed her eyes and inhaled his scent until it filled her lungs entirely. Her body quivered in the warmth of his, only separated from the heat of his touch by a thin sheet of satin. Kagome's breath hitched when she felt Inuyasha lowering his lips to follow the trail of her face. So slowly she would have swore he was teasing her, he planted small, loving kisses along her temple, her cheekbone, her cheek, her ear—the moan that left her lips caused his cock to ache wantingly—her jawline, her neck.

"Inu," Kagome started, pausing to lick to her lips, "yasha."

He couldn't help himself. He could feel her taut, full breasts against his chest, pushing into him from the delight of feeling his breath on her skin. Loosening the material of her nightgown in his hand, Inuyasha trailed his palm along the small of her back, dragging it up her spine, and then caressing her shoulders, trailing her arms.

When she angled her head up for him like that, how was he not supposed to focus the attention of his lips on her jugular?

Kagome's fingers fisted into the material of his tank top when Inuyasha intensified the pressure of his kiss to the side of her neck. Her mumbling his name urged him on. Releasing his lips from her flushed skin, Inuyasha deeply inhaled her scent. His senses devoured by her, Inuyasha couldn't help taking a mouthful of her neck between his lips. He sucked on the mound of skin captured between his teeth, trailing his tongue in circles. Kagome pushed her breasts and pelvis into him, her breathing escalating along with her tightening fingers. Wanting to hear her moan for him once more, Inuyasha opened his mouth and drew the outline of her jugular with the tip of his tongue.

"Inu _ya_ sha," Kagome moaned, her womanhood on fire. "Please, I—I," she gasped, her words drowning in her arousal.

"Do you want me to stop, Kagome?"

He breathed the words into the side of her neck, simultaneously sliding his hand down her spine to grab a handful of her nightgown over her tailbone. The action exposed her thong; however, Inuyasha didn't know that. If he had, he wouldn't have been able to control himself, helplessly grabbing a handful of her cheek and pulling her against his hardening pelvis.

"Inu _yah_ ," she gasped, "sha."

"Do," he kissed her neck. "You. Want," he said nipping at her jawline. "Me. To," he captured her ear lobe in his mouth and sucked on it dotingly, his eyes almost rolling back into his head at feeling her hips buck against him. "Stop?"

The sound of the 'p' exploded in Kagome's ear and she lowered her head uncontrollably, grabbing for Inuyasha's face, maddeningly pulling his lips to meet hers. Willingly acquiescing, Inuyasha grabbed her arm and pulled her on top of him, growling pleasingly into her mouth as he felt the inner parts of her thighs land on either side of his hips.

"Oh _god_ ," Kagome moaned in his mouth as Inuyasha's one hand cupped her face while the other stroked the milky skin of her thigh. "Inuyasha, I—" she gasped.

"You what?"

Kagome moaned against his mouth as his tongue separated her lips. When Kagome pulled back for a mouthful of air, Inuyasha greedily sucked on her lower lip, the smacking sound of their disconnection echoing around them.

"Inuyasha, I—"

"Want me to stop?"

Inuyasha couldn't stop the growl that rumbled his chest when he felt Kagome buck her moistness against his belly. He wanted to push the girl's smaller body lower. He wanted to instruct her to do that again. He wanted to feel how wet she was against the length of his manhood.

"I want you so badly," she whispered against his mouth, pulling away with a gasp. Her intense, glazed eyes met his. Her hands flat against his chest, she stopped him from leaning forward to capture her lips in another kiss.

She needed to take control. If he were to kiss her like that again, or suck on her like that again, Kagome knew it would only be a matter of time before their clothes started coming off.

"But," she spoke, running her fingertips across his lips tenderly. "I want to wait."

Inuyasha smirked against her fingertips and grabbed the hand in his, kissing the pads of her fingers softly.

"You want me to stop?" he repeated, his gruff, aroused voice causing Kagome's eyes to flutter.

"Yes."

Inuyasha smiled at her and leaned forward to kiss her gently on the lips before angling his chest so Kagome would slide off him. Laying on her side, Inuyasha adjusted his arm so it rounded her shoulders, holding her small body against his. Kagome's face rested on his shoulder, just above his armpit, and she smiled at listening to the panting breaths of air entering and leaving his lips. Part of her felt badly for getting him so worked up. However, another part of her loved that he had reacted to her this way.

"Is this okay?" he asked, looking down at her flushed face.

Kagome nodded, her pounding heart unable to allow any words to escape her mouth. He was so gentle, so considerate. She could tell he wanted to please her, and it warmed her heart at how understanding he had been of her request.

"Thank you," she said into his shoulder, the side of his neck taking up most of her field of vision. It took all of her willpower to keep her eyes closed to prevent her from reaching forward to take the flesh into her mouth.

With his free hand, Inuyasha wiped her bangs from her forehead and placed a gentle kiss on the warmed, damp skin. Cradling her in his arms, Inuyasha closed his eyes, his arousal slowly melding into sleep.

"Thanks for letting me stay, Kagome."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

*Fan's self* Oh my. What a chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! (^-^) Lots more where that came from.


	17. Nightmare

**Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Nightmare_

* * *

He was a young boy. Maybe five, almost six.

He couldn't remember how he ended up so far away from his mother, but strangers the height of trees surrounded his small form, bumping him along their rows of legs. He couldn't remember how long he had been wandering on his own. He didn't know how to tell time; his father had tried to get him to understand what those little sticks on a clock meant, but he was _too stupid_ to understand, so he had been told.

"Mother," he opened his mouth to cry, but no one looked at him. No one responded to his high-pitched whine. They continued in their human traffic. It was organized chaos.

He pushed forward, holding his tiny fingers out to ward against the oncoming lower torsos that tossed him around so carelessly and violently. A woman's high-heel kicked him in the shin. A man's heel crushed the toes in his left shoe. The young boy whimpered, releasing a cry of pain from his rounded, slobbered lips. His nose began to run.

"Mother!"

"Out of the way, brat!" a man spat, his bag knocking the boy to the side.

Falling on his hip, he scratched his hand on some small stones on the sidewalk and he couldn't prevent the wail that shot up out of his throat. He wanted to find his mother. How long had he been missing? Was she looking for him as desperately as he was looking for her? He just wanted to see one face he recognized. Why were adults so cold? Why wasn't anyone willing to help him?

"You okay, kid?"

The young boy sniffled his nose and wiped away some running snot with his unscratched hand. Looking down at his injured, scraped palm, he wiped away the beginning traces of blood on his trousers and forced himself to stand.

"I can't find my mom," the boy replied, wobbling slightly when he stood.

The man had wide black pupils and wavy, uninhibited black hair. The boy wouldn't have described the man's face as kind or concerned; however, he was the only one to pay any attention to him since he was separated from his mother. It didn't matter what the man looked like; he was an angel, a saviour, in the boy's eyes.

"Would you like me to help you?"

"To find my mom?"

The man smirked without verbally responding. Placing his claw-like fingers on the boy's shoulder, the man directed the boy through the oncoming stream of pedestrians, of more adults who didn't care about the boy. He looked up at the unrecognized faces. He was surrounded by so many strangers they could have just as well been faceless. Their unique features were so foreign to him they meant nothing. However, the boy was pleased and released a sigh to see the strangers parting around the man. The boy's saviour seemed to easily navigate through the hordes of bodies. The child was grateful he wasn't being bumped around anymore. He thought finding this man had been a sign of luck.

"Where do you live, boy?"

The young boy strained his neck to look up at the man. He pulled his mouth to the side and gripped the hem of his shirt in both hands, raising the material over his belly slightly. He had never seen such untamed hair before on a man.

"I'm not supposed to tell that to strangers," the boy responded.

The man laughed through closed lips and kept his eyes on the people his body waded through. "But we're not strangers now, are we? I'm taking you home. Aren't you lost?"

The boy nodded. "I got lost from my mother."

The man kept his eyes straight ahead of him. "That's not a very good mother, now is it?"

"What do you mean?" The boy's eyebrows furrowed.

"Aren't mothers supposed to keep their children safe? What kind of a mother abandons her child?"

The boy puffed his chest indignantly. "I'm not _abdandoned_ ," he misspoke. He didn't have the strength to admit he didn't know what the word _abandoned_ meant.

The man raised an amused eyebrow. "You're not?"

"No!" the boy spat heatedly.

"Then where's your mother, _boy_?"

"I don't know," he whispered after a tense moment. Tears welled in his eyes.

"I think she left you."

"Mommy wouldn't do that."

"Are you sure?" The man slowly turned his dark eyes to meet the fire in the boy's. "How do you know your mother didn't choose to leave you?"

"She just wouldn't."

"Yes," the man replied, "you said that. But how do you _know_ for certain? Did she tell you?"

"Well," the boy thought, his eyebrows still furrowed, "no, she—."

"That's what I'm saying," the man interrupted, driving the boy to the side of the pathway and stopping. He gripped the boy's shoulder tightly in his grasp to turn the small frame to face him. "I'm afraid I know a lot of little boys whose mothers didn't want them anymore."

"Didn't want them?"

The man nodded. "That's right. I save them."

"Save them?"

The man bowed his head. "I look after the little boys who have been neglected by their families."

Tears began to stream down the small boy's cheeks. "My mommy didn't want me anymore?"

The man nodded again. "I'm afraid so."

"Can I—" the boy sniffled, "can I still go home?"

The man sighed. He started to appear impatient; however, the little boy was too distracted by grief and panic that he didn't recognize the expression. Unfortunately, the child didn't have the wisdom of an aged lifespan to know the man didn't speak the truth to him.

"No, of course you can't go home," the man tried to console. "Your _mommy_ got rid of you, child, don't you get that? You don't have a _home_ to go home to."

"But she wouldn't…" the kid cried, his mouth shaped like an upside 'u' while his lips quivered.

"But she _did_ ," the man cooed, kneeling to the child's height.

"But I want my mommy," the child wept, wiping his tears away with his fists.

The man sighed. "But your mommy doesn't want you, boy. You don't have a mommy anymore."

Looking down at his watch, the man released an annoyed sigh and gripped the boy's small shoulders in each hand.

"Listen, boy, I have an idea. I went to the store yesterday and bought some chocolate chip cookies for my sons. I think a few of them may be the same age as you. Why don't I bring you over to my house to meet some of them? Do you like chocolate chip cookies?"

"But," the boy gasped, his breathing strained from crying, "what about my—"

"—Haven't you _listened_ , you stupid child?" the man spat angrily, his unexpected rage frightening any further tears from leaving the child's eyes. "You don't have a mother anymore! You're abandoned, an orphan. You don't belong to a family anymore. You're on your own. Get that in your head!"

The kid's chest quaked in fear and grief. "But I'm—"

"You're alone," the man spat. " _Say it_."

"I'm _ah_ -alone," the child stuttered, wiping his nose on the sleeve of his shirt.

"Say it again."

"I'm alone."

"Say, "I don't have a mother.'"

" _I_ -I don't have _ah_ -a mother."

"'I don't have a family.' _Say_ it."

"I don't have _ah_ -a family."

"Good boy," the man clucked. "Now that's enough crying," he urged, turning the boy to face his left. His claw-like fingers gripped tightly around the child's shoulder blades. "My home isn't too far from here. I'll introduce you to some of your new brothers. Remember when I told you I rescue little boys who have been discarded or forgotten?"

The boy nodded his head, his eyes and cheeks red.

"Well, you're not alone anymore. I've come to rescue you. Now," he smiled menacingly, "let's go get you some of those cookies, hmm? Would you like a cookie?"

The boy nodded. "I like chocolate chip."

"Very good then," the man sighed, straightening his posture and releasing an exasperated breath. "My sons will be very glad to meet you. What is your name, boy?"

The child wiped away the last few tears from his reddened cheeks. "It's Inuyasha."

"Inuyasha," the man repeated, his overlapping front teeth visible through his thin-lipped smirk. "I'll be looking after you. You may call me 'Father.'"

* * *

Inuyasha spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor and angled his body lower, gripping the small dagger tightly in his fist. He couldn't recall a time his heart had beat so fast and desperately.

The other boy screamed as he lunged at Inuyasha's smaller torso, a knife raised over the child's head. Inuyasha may have been one of the smaller boys, but he was the fastest of them all. He saw the attack coming and ducked out of the way. He grunted as he kicked the other boy in the back, causing him to falter. With his own dagger, Inuyasha sprung forward, drawing his blade across the boy's waist.

The ten-year-old screamed, causing groans and chants to emerge from the surrounding onlookers. There were at least 30 people surrounding Inuyasha and the other boy, Manten, in a circle.

"You're dead meat, _Inuyasha_!" Manten screamed.

" _Feh_ ," Inuyasha spat with a smirk. He had overheard the expression from one of the older boys; he liked the way it exploded from his diaphragm. Inuyasha's face immediately flinched from the smirk he had given Manten, his lower jaw pulsing painfully from when the older boy had punched him earlier. Inuyasha had lost a tooth and his mouth was overwhelmed by the coppery taste of blood.

"You need to catch me first, you fat fuck," Inuyasha cussed. He still liked the grown-up sense of accomplishment that swelled within his chest when he swore.

Manten screamed, lunging at Inuyasha once more, his dagger high. Inuyasha jumped out of the way, somersaulting to his feet before standing and growling at Manten. Inuyasha spun on his heel and slashed the blade against Manten's bicep, causing another scream from the boy.

"Fight back you _fucking pansy_!" One of the older men screamed at Manten from the crowd.

"I'm trying, Father!" Manten cried, narrowing his eyes at Inuyasha and trying to mirror Inuyasha's low stance.

Inuyasha's naked chest was slick with sweat, untouched from Manten's blade. Manten, on the other hand, had nicks and cuts all over his body from his brawl with Inuyasha.

 _Real men draw blood,_ Manten chanted in his head. _You're not a real man until you make another bleed_. _You're not a_ kobun _until you make another bleed._

"I _will_ bleed you, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha laughed animatedly, crouching low like he was ready to pounce. "You won't get that dagger anywhere near me, Manten."

A guttural scream left Manten's throat as he rampaged towards Inuyasha, his ten-year-old frame shaking with fear and adrenaline.

He was _older_ than Inuyasha by two years. He was supposed to be the stronger one, the better fighter. Inuyasha was making him look pathetic in front of his father. Manten needed to bleed Inuyasha. Accepted by his new family, Manten was desperate to prove he was ready to become a man.

"Come at me, bitch," eight-year-old Inuyasha taunted, the ends of his silver hair matted with the blood of the other child he fought before Manten.

Manten couldn't believe that he was Inuyasha's third fight of the day and still no one had been able to cut him. Manten would be the one. He would be the one to bleed Inuyasha. But Inuyasha was too fast. He could dodge every thrust of Manten's swiping blade. He could punch harder, fight back faster. The more Manten tried, the more Inuyasha just made him seem to bleed.

There was only one rule when fighting another family member during initiation: you cannot penetrate the skin, you cannot stab or pierce the flesh. Drawing blood demonstrates strength and control. Stabbing demonstrates weakness and powerlessness. If a man is really in control he is able to make his opponent bleed. A real man doesn't _have_ to kill his enemies.

After two years with the family, every boy had to demonstrate his ability to have the control of a man. No boy could become a _kobun_ until he demonstrated that control and level of commitment to the family. And Manten wanted to become a _kobun_ more than anything. He wanted to show his father how strong he could be.

Drool ran down Manten's chin as he lunged at Inuyasha again, only to wind up with another slash on the back of his thigh. Manten screamed as he toppled to the ground.

"You're pathetic," Inuyasha spat, his chest heaving. "How can you fight like this when your father is watching? You should be ashamed."

"Shut your fucking mouth, you bastard," Manten wheezed, getting to his feet. "Just because your _daddy_ isn't around doesn't make you any better than me."

Inuyasha merely smirked and propelled himself out of the way of Manten's incoming blade. With how slow Manten was, Inuyasha couldn't believe Manten had already defeated three other boys. Inuyasha was Manten's last opponent in initiation, and time was almost up. If Manten wasn't able to make Inuyasha bleed, Manten failed initiation.

Manten's body was exhausted after a full day's worth of fighting; he could barely hold himself upright any longer. Pain ached from every corner of his body and he just wanted to lay down. He couldn't deny the shame that penetrated every pore of his person. He didn't want to think about the embarrassment he caused his Father. His Father had _chosen_ Manten as the boy he would raise to become his _kobun_. How could Manten bring such shame to that choice?

Manten narrowed his eyes as his adrenaline beat through his veins. His eyes were wild, his heart fluttered madly. He needed to bring Inuyasha down. Desperation clinging madly in his heart, Manten made a rash decision. _Fuck the rules_ , he thought. He would bring Inuyasha down anyway he could. Even if that meant stabbing the bastard to death.

Raising his weapon above his head with both hands, Manten screamed and dove his body at Inuyasha, thrusting the weapon down towards Inuyasha.

"Are you fucking crazy?" Inuyasha screamed diving out of the way. He saw the change in Manten's eyes. He heard the _woosh_ of air past his face from the vertical drive of Manten's weapon. Manten now handled the weapon with the intent to kill.

Manten swiped and stabbed the blade at Inuyasha; however, Inuyasha continued to outrun the actions. Finally, the boys on either side of the circle—the other family members screaming and shouting around them—Manten held his weapon to his side and ran at Inuyasha. Inuyasha gasped and tried to duck out of the way; however, an onlooker stuck his foot out to trip Inuyasha. A few of the men bellowed loudly as Inuyasha toppled to the ground. Inuyasha knew the other family members were free to intervene as they chose; however, he still couldn't help swearing at the man who tripped him. Manten used this moment to his advantage to climb on top of Inuyasha, making stabbing motions in the air while he mounted his opponent.

"Get off me!" Inuyasha screamed, holding onto Manten's forearms to keep the dagger away from Inuyasha's skin. Inuyasha's stomach and waist smeared with waves of red from Manten's bloody torso.

"Die, Inuyasha!" Manten screamed, struggling against Inuyasha to drive the weapon into Inuyasha's chest.

"You can't do this!" Inuyasha shouted in response, his body quaking from the intensity with which he countered Manten's pressure. The dagger shuddered from the conflict, the blade hovering merely inches from Inuyasha's chest.

Inuyasha shook his body from side to side to dismount Manten; however, the boy laid all his weight into the dagger, keen to watch the triangular end penetrate the milky white adolescent skin. Manten's sweat landed heavily on Inuyasha's cheeks and neck. Using his back legs, Inuyasha finally maneuvered his body so he could kick Manten off him, sending the boy toppling to his side. Gasping for air, Inuyasha sputtered to his feet, only to look up in time to see Manten screaming and running towards him, his blade held out in front of him, leading the charge.

Holding his own dagger protectively in front of his body, Inuyasha's face went pale as he heard the sickening sound of skin ingesting metal, like a French knife penetrating the rind of a melon. Manten's body went rigid as Inuyasha's dagger plunged into his fleshy belly, his own dagger dropping from his fingertips.

Large hands pulled Inuyasha away from Manten before the life fully left Manten's eyes. This was the first time Inuyasha had ever seen a dead body. It was the also the first time he had ever killed someone.

"I didn't mean to," Inuyasha gasped, the words barely audible on his infantile lips. "I-I didn't mean," he sputtered; however, he had been thrown out of the room and the door slammed in his face before he could complete his sentence. His face was white with grief and shame.

He turned dejectedly from the door, desperate to understand what had happened. He didn't know how he managed to stab Manten. Was it on purpose? No, he didn't think so. It had happened so fast, Inuyasha didn't know what to think. Manten had drove himself into Inuyasha's blade. It wasn't Inuyasha's fault; Manten had skewered himself. All Inuyasha knew was that he had killed another family member. He broke the rules. Inuyasha rounded a corner and unexpectedly confronted his Father, the man with the black hair. The man's large black eyes loomed painfully over Inuyasha's small frame. Inuyasha's hands shook.

"Is it true, Inuyasha? You killed a boy?"

Inuyasha's body was consumed with fear and panic. He knew Father would be furious. Inuyasha knew the rules better than anyone did. He parted his lips, but his voice was gone. It was stuck in his belly. The man with the black hair didn't say a word more to Inuyasha while he walked around the child, the boy he had _rescued_ two years ago.

Inuyasha's entire body shaking, he spun on his heel, tears dropping from his eyes. "I'm sorry, Father. I didn't mean to!"

"He _bled_ you," was the man's reply, his words venomous. The statement was so shocking it caused Inuyasha to look down at his stomach.

When he had driven his blade into Manten's side in self-defence, Inuyasha was so distracted he hadn't realized Manten's dagger had incised Inuyasha's hip. Inuyasha rashly covered the bleeding wound with his hand.

"I beat him, Father," Inuyasha tried to reason. "I bled him first. I bled three boys today. I'm a _kobun_ now, Father. I wanted to make you proud."

The man's back was turned to Inuyasha, his hand gripping tightly to the door handle to enter the part of the dojo where the boys had fought.

"You're a disgrace, Inuyasha," his dark tone seethed. Malice dripped from every heavily punctuated word.

"Father," Inuyasha mumbled, his heart hammering sombrely. "I—"

"—No _kobun_ of mine shall be allowed to bring such dishonour."

"I'm sorry, Father," Inuyasha cried, dropping to his knees. "I didn't mean to kill the boy, I—"

"You think, Inuyasha, I _care_ that you killed him?" The man spat, spinning on his heel. His eyes were wide with fury. "How many boys do you think have died in there? How many do you think _I_ killed in _my_ training? Dozens."

Inuyasha was speechless as he squeezed his eyes tightly, angry at himself for how easily the tears fell. He opened his mouth to whisper another apology but the man with the black hair kept speaking. Straightening his back, the man looked down furiously at Inuyasha's small, gangly form.

"No _kobun_ of mine shall ever bleed. You have proven yourself today a failure, Inuyasha, not a _kobun_. You are weak, and the sight of your blood brings me shame. _Get out of my sight_."

The man with black hair disappeared from Inuyasha's teary vision and the eight-year-old once again became a child. Looking down at his bleeding midriff, Inuyasha never felt such hate for himself before. He was weak. He was worthless. How could the head of the house's son be such a pathetic weakling?

As the door opened in front of Inuyasha, and his father's body disappeared through it, he heard the fear in the voices of those who greeted his Father.

"Naraku!" one of the men gasped as he positioned his body in front of the child's corpse. "I can explain!"

"Silence," Inuyasha's adopted father hissed, his eyes lowering to the hulking mass of flesh lying on the ground. "What are you idiots waiting for? Dispose of that child's body, immediately."

"Yes, sir, I—"

"—When the task is complete, Musō," Naraku murmured, "go claim my failure of a son, Inuyasha, and make him clean up this mess. He shall go with no food or drink until this dojo holds no trace of blood after today's initiation. Am I clear?"

"Sir, that'll take him days," Musō stuttered. "At least four rooms held initiations today, I—"

Naraku narrowed his eyes to silence the man, and others looked upon the speaker fearfully, incredulously; they couldn't believe this fool had the audacity and stupidity to disobey or challenge the leader. They knew what happened to the defiant.

"Goshinki."

"Yes, sir," another man spoke up quickly, frightfully.

"Take our brother, Musō, and lock him up. When Inuyasha has completed his task in the dojo, have him prepare a Burning Ritual." Naraku's eyes blackened with menace while the defiant man broke down into tears, begging Naraku's forgiveness. Naraku's face transformed into a darkened sneer; above all else, he abhorred pleading.

"Inuyasha will lead the ritual."

Goshinki wanted to open his mouth to argue that Inuyasha was too young to take the lead in the Burning Ritual; however, Goshinki knew the consequences of talking back to the _oyabun._ Simply bowing his head in respect, Goshinki accepted the assignments given him.

Having overheard the conversation through the opened door, Inuyasha stood in the hallway and wiped his cheeks. As Musō began to scream when two other men grabbed his arms, Inuyasha turned on his heel. Shame and guilt consuming him, he headed for the room he shared with eight other boys. He didn't know what a Burning Ritual was, but he hoped one of the other boys would.

* * *

Naraku's hands painfully held Inuyasha's face forward as tears helplessly poured from the eight-year-old's eyes. The smell of burning flesh stung his nostrils, and his head throbbed horribly with the man's resonating screams and pleas for help. Inuyasha was forced to stand so close to the pyre the smoke billowing from the wood and flesh caused his eyes to sting. Inuyasha's forehead ached with the intensity of his scowl as he tried to flee the sickly sweet and acidic smell of blackening skin.

Goshinki had provided Inuyasha with the instructions on how to bound Musō's hands and feet so he wouldn't be able to escape. As Inuyasha went about the task—his earlier shame and current fear of disobeying his father forcing him into action—the man had bent his head down to Inuyasha, begging the boy. "Don't be like your Father," he had pleaded. Musō begged Inuyasha to be merciful and let him go; however, Goshinki cracked the man over the head with the butt of his gun to silence him. Unfortunately, for Inuyasha, the man continued to cry as Inuyasha finished bounding his feet to the wooden post. Inuyasha didn't dare speak a single word.

"Light the match, Inuyasha," Naraku had coolly instructed from behind Inuyasha, his hands drawn behind his back. Frightfully aware that the whole family was watching, Inuyasha had wasted four matches in his attempts before finally having a flame catch. His hands shook uncontrollably.

"Good," Naraku cooed, placing his hands on Inuyasha's shoulders. "Now. Drop it at his feet."

"Naraku, please!" Musō begged, his sobs preventing the clarity of his words. "I didn't mean to—"

"Now! Inuyasha!" Naraku shouted, his voice piercing and urgent. He couldn't stomach one more plea from the man's lips.

Inuyasha flinched as an apologetic tear trickled down his cheek. He found himself unable to look away from Musō's eyes as Inuyasha approached him. He cupped his hand around the flame protectively, afraid for what his father would do should it go out.

"Child, _please_ ," the man pleaded. "Don't do this."

Inuyasha almost thought about opening his mouth to apologize to the man; however, fear prevented him from doing so. Mentally apologizing to Musō—and hoping the thought was enough—Inuyasha tossed the match into the kindling between Musō's feet. Inuyasha turned his back to the man as he began to scream.

A sobbing Inuyasha tried to walk past his father; after all, he had blistered his hands from building the pyre and now he was the executioner. He thought he had done more than enough. However, Naraku painfully gripped Inuyasha's bicep in his claw-like grip, preventing the child from leaving.

"As the Ritual Leader, you are responsible for disposing of the body and ash once the ritual is complete. You will stay here, my son."

Inuyasha's heart trembled as he stopped and turned to face his father, his face red and eyes stinging from the sounds of the man's pained screams.

"Look at him, Inuyasha," Naraku ordered. "Watch Musō."

When Inuyasha couldn't find the strength to turn his head, Naraku gripped the sides of his face painfully and forced his head upwards to watch Musō being burned alive.

"Never forget, Inuyasha," Naraku cooed, his tone laced with delight as the fire caused the man's skin to blister and blacken. "The Burning Ritual cleanses a man of his weakness. To be fully integrated into our family, one cannot have weakness.

"Should you bring disgrace to your _oyabun_ again, Inuyasha, you will not find yourself the Ritual Leader next time, do you understand what I'm saying to you?"

"Yes, Father," Inuyasha squeaked, his voice tense. His eyes glimpsing over to Musō, Inuyasha never wanted to imagine the type of pain that man experienced.

"Good," Naraku sighed, his eyes narrowing upon Musō's lifeless, white eyes. "Abandon all weakness, Inuyasha, for weakness is what causes a man to disobey. And should you disobey," he paused, "the fire will be the only thing left to cleanse you."

* * *

Inuyasha woke with a start, a scream leaving his parted lips as he flung his body upright. Sweat caused his tank top to stick to the small of his back as beads of sweat dripped from the bridge of his nose and temple. Panting, Inuyasha ran a hand through his hair, then covered his face with his palms.

It was a nightmare. It was just a bad dream, he chanted to himself.

He hadn't had those dreams in years; however, his lived reality had felt so real in his dream that Inuyasha swore he could still sense the burning scent of flesh in his nostrils. Musō hadn't been the only one for whom Inuyasha had been the Ritual Leader; however, he was the first. This wasn't the first time Musō's fate haunted Inuyasha's dreams. However, it was the first time he had had a nightmare in years.

"Inuyasha?"

His scream had woken Kagome as well and she sat up in bed beside him, unsure how she could comfort him. His sweat was very noticeable in the premature sunrays, and Kagome could make out the damp outline of where his body had been laying.

"I'm alright, Kagome," he panted, trying to control his breathing. "It was just a bad dream."

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, placing a hesitant hand on his back. Feeling the dampness of his shirt, she immediately withdrew her hand. She couldn't imagine what he had dreamt of to cause him this much panic.

"No," he said, pushing the covers off his body and swinging his legs off the bed. "I'm gonna go have a shower. Sorry for waking you, Kagome. Go back to sleep."

Kagome watched him with a pained expression as he rounded the bed and made for the door.

"Are you sure you're okay, Inuyasha?" she asked once more. Kagome hadn't realized that the strap of her nightgown had fallen and she was quick to put it back in place before it should reveal too much skin to Inuyasha.

His hand on the doorknob, Inuyasha offered her a small, apologetic smile before nodding his head.

"I'll be fine. Go back to sleep, Kagome."

However, once he was gone from her room and the door had been closed, Kagome knew she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. Especially since she was awake before Inuyasha woke up screaming. Kagome sighed and fingered some sleep from the corner of her eyes while she tried to understand what had just happened. Once she and Inuyasha had gone to sleep, Kagome found it hard to snooze while Inuyasha tossed and turned violently throughout the night. She had even overheard him muttering a few incoherent sentences in his slumber.

Kagome felt her heart beating frantically while her eyes searched the duvet for the answers she desperately wanted. What had he been dreaming about? And why did he say, "I'm sorry, Musō" before he woke up screaming?

Who is Musō?

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

Inuyasha's past and the Family is starting to unwind! Sorry for the relatively shorter chapter. It just felt right to end things here. There is so much more on the way. Hang in there! XD

As well, a million, billion hugs to all of you who are frequently reviewing. And for those of you who have favourited and followed the story, my heart is yours. You guys are so fantastic. Thanks for taking such an interest in my story! I'm behind thrilled you're enjoying it so far.

Also, there were two words used in this chapter that I didn't define for you: "oyabun" and "kobun." I promise I'll get into that in a later chapter; however, if you feel impatient, feel free to look them up yourself, haha. Just don't ruin the surprise for anyone else :P


	18. Investigations

**Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Investigations_

* * *

" _What can you tell us about the car chase?"_

" _Uh—well, it was horrible. I think it caused maybe five? Six accidents? I'm not sure. Can you tell me if all those people are okay, though? There are a couple people who—"_

" _I meant—do you know what caused it? What do you believe instigated the chase?"_

" _Oh, um, I don't really know."_

" _If you had to guess?"_

" _I'm sorry—I really don't have an answer for you."_

" _Describe the driver. What did the man with the firearm look like? What kind of weapon was it?"_

" _I never saw the driver, and it was a revolver of some kind."_

" _What did the man holding the revolver look like?"_

" _Oh, right—sorry. Um, he had red hair, wore face paint that was black? No, sorry, it was green face paint. I think. It was on his cheeks and forehead."_

" _More specifically?"_

" _Sorry, what do you mean?"_

" _Identifying details such as blemishes, scars, eye colour, hair colour."_

" _Oh, okay. No, sorry, I didn't see him closely enough for that. Oh, I was later told his name is Suikotsu, though. If that's helpful."_

" _Surname?"_

" _I don't know it. Sorry."_

" _Who told you his name?"_

" _My driver, Totosai."_

" _Surname?"_

" _Sorry…I don't know that either."_

" _Is that the old man you came in with today?"_

" _Yes."_

" _And how did Totosai know the shooter's name was Suikotsu?"_

" _Uh…he didn't tell me. He's worked for Inuyasha for a long time—at least I think it's been a long time. Either way I would presume Totosai's met him."_

" _You presume."_

" _Yeah."_

" _So you don't know for sure."_

" _No, I guess not. If it's any help, though, he's the Suikotsu from The Band of Seven."_

" _And how do you know that?"_

" _Because I was told."_

" _By this…Totosai?"_

" _Yes."_

" _I see. And how could you verify his identity for us?"_

" _Uh, well, I suppose if I saw a picture of him I'd know it was him."_

" _You_ suppose

" _Well, I don't know—maybe Totosai could identify him; I didn't see the man that well."_

" _Hmm…okay. And the driver?"_

" _What about him?"_

" _What can you tell us about him?"_

" _Didn't I answer that already?"_

" _Please answer the question."_

" _Suh-sorry. Um, I never saw him. The Lexus was behind the limo most of the time and I couldn't see him clearly because the rear window was full of bullets."_

" _But you could see the shooter?"_

" _Yes."_

" _How?"_

" _Uh, I just c—"_

"— _I don't understand how you could see the shooter, this 'Suikotsu', as per your driver, but you couldn't see the driver of the Lexus. Explain that to us."_

" _Um…" she squeezed her cold, shaking hands together to try to stop her trembling._

"— _You're not in trouble, Miss Higurashi. It's just the standard questions for our incident report; we're just trying to understand what happened."_

 _She nodded. "I understand that. I just don't really know what happened myself; I don't have the answers for you."_

The car ride back to the house was silent as Kagome replayed parts of her interrogation in her mind. She couldn't help but feel like the two police officers who interviewed her must have thought she was useless. What good would her answers even be? She knew nothing. She saw nothing.

Maybe she should have taken Sango up on her suggestion to have legal representation present. Yes, Kagome was told she wasn't in trouble; but no normal, _innocent_ citizen gets interrogated—or given the third degree that she felt she was given—for no reason.

Kagome sighed, her mind feeling heavy reflecting on her conversation that morning in the kitchen with Sango. Resting her cheek in her hand, Kagome watched the world fly by through the window. Thankfully, Totosai chauffeured her in a normal sedan; Kagome didn't think she could stomach another ride in a stretch limo ever again.

Adjusting her eyes to survey the outside landscape, Kagome felt another puff of an exhale leave her lips as the thought of Inuyasha surfaced in her mind.

Once her almost one-and-half-hour-long interrogation was finally over, Totosai had escorted her from the station. Upon exiting the building, Kagome and her driver had passed an introspective-looking Inuyasha, followed by Miroku, two older gentlemen in suits, and Sango. Kagome knew then that Inuyasha was going in for his questioning about the day prior equipped with his team of attorneys. She had known Sango was going with him; however, it had startled her to see him with a legal entourage. Was he in trouble? What warranted him needing that much of a legal presence? It had also reaffirmed to Kagome that maybe she was a stupid girl for thinking she didn't need a lawyer.

But again: she apparently wasn't in trouble.

Pulling her phone out of her purse, Kagome saw that she had received two more calls from her family: one from Souta and one from her mother. Kagome tore her eyes away from the device, guilt resting heavily in the base of her throat; it suddenly felt difficult to breath, trying to swallow past the lump in her throat.

 _You got this, girl. Relax…_

Her eyes fell back on her phone. She still hadn't listened to the voicemail she received yesterday from her mother. Kagome knew she couldn't ignore her family forever; however, Kagome didn't feel ready or emotionally stable to handle the conversations she knew were going to be difficult. Yet, the more time that passed, the more difficult it became to instigate that conversation. So, Kagome ended up making her decision by refusing to do anything. She needed time, she told herself, as if that justified giving her family the cold shoulder.

Kagome's stomach squealed from having been awake for several hours with only two cups of coffee to quench her hunger. Resting an apologetic hand on her stomach, she put her phone away.

After having watched Inuyasha scurry from the bed after his nightmare, Kagome had been unable to return to sleep. Rather than sit pitifully in bed consumed by thoughts about the night— _lips parting; gasps for air; warm, rough hands on her skin_ —she got out of bed, put on her housecoat and went downstairs to start up the coffee machine. Fortunately, despite the early hour, Kaede was already awake and had started the luxurious Italian machine; the smell of freshly ground coffee beans slowly rose to greet Kagome as she descended the stairs. However, Kagome had been surprised to find that Kaede wasn't around. When Kagome rounded the corner to enter the kitchen, her eyes widened to notice that Sango was the only inhabitant in the kitchen, dressed to the nines, and staring intently at frantic black scribbles in a notebook. A pencil bounced off her bottom lip.

"Sango, you're up already."

Sango jumped at Kagome's soft words and the girl smiled at her friend, releasing her grip on the pencil.

"Good morning, Kagome. How come you're up so early? Couldn't sleep?"

Kagome shook her head and took a seat at the breakfast bar next to Sango. Kagome didn't want to breach the subject of her night with Inuyasha. There were too many thoughts, concerns, worries, questions circling her mind. It was likely best to stay far, far away from the subject of Inuyasha right now.

"What are you writing?" she asked instead, changing the subject.

Sango turned her eyes to follow Kagome's line of sight to the notepad. Smiling at Kagome, Sango flipped the pad closed.

"I'm reviewing some of the questions that Inuyasha is likely to be asked during his interrogation. Miroku said I'll be going along with him simply for notetaking purposes; but, the notepad is me just going above and beyond." She smiled. "You know me; one hundred and ten per cent. I figure I should know what's going on."

"And what _is_ going on?" Kagome pressed, leaning forward in her chair.

Sango smiled pitifully at her friend and patted her hand. "I'm sorry, Kagome. That's one of the things that kind of sucks about being your best friend and working for Inuyasha; I can't talk about it."

"So you couldn't even give me a hint?"

"I'm really sorry; no."

"What about helping me prepare for what questions _I_ might get asked?"

Sango frowned. "I'd highly recommend considering having legal representation present with you, Kagome. Just in case."

"In case of what?"

Sango shrugged. "It's usually just a smart idea."

"Am I in trouble, Sango?" The thought had never previously occurred to Kagome. She had been the _victim_ in this. Hadn't she? The thought that maybe Sango knew something she didn't caused Kagome's stomach to drop.

"That's not for me to say, Kagome. I'm sorry; I don't know enough of what's happening to give you an answer. Just think about having legal present, okay?"

"You couldn't come with me? You're a paralegal."

"It's not the same thing as a lawyer," Sango said, smiling empathetically. "Besides, I'm technically on the team that represents Inuyasha. I would worry about there being any conflicts of interest."

Kagome nodded and picked at her fingernails. Sitting for a reflective moment, Kagome then shook her head, sighed, and stood up from her seat.

"It's fine, Sango. It's just driving me crazy how there's a lot of stuff going on that no one can talk to me about."

Sango's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean by that, Kagome?"

Kagome sighed, trying to dispel the anger rising in her chest. She sat her body down heavily into the seat from which she just stood. Kagome bit her bottom lip in frustration. She knew it wasn't fair of her to take her anger out on Sango, but the confusion was getting the best of her.

"Last night Inuyasha refused to tell me anything about what's happening. And, truth be told, it's really unfair—I'm involved in this, Sango. Suikotsu came after _me_. _My_ apartment was set on fire. _My_ life is getting wrapped up in this stuff, and yet for some reason Inuyasha refuses to let me know why. Is it just a coincidence? Am I just that unlucky?"

"Hold on a second, Kagome," Sango claimed, turning in her seat with widened brown eyes. "Last night?" A devilish smirk crawled from the corners of her satiny-pink lipstick. "What happened between you two last night?"

"I—" Kagome's words were interrupted by the blazing flush that erupted across her cheeks.

 _Ugh, way to go, Kagome_ , Kagome groaned in her head, trying to turn from her friend to hide her expression. She _really_ didn't have the heart to get into this right now. She didn't have time to waste on psychoanalysing the events of her night with Inuyasha— _his fingers on her shoulder blades; his tongue caressing the roof of her mouth; sliding her thighs on either side of his torso as she straddled him_. Kagome shook her head to dispel thoughts causing knots in her stomach.

Sango immediately recognized the bashful look on Kagome's face and grabbed her friend's bicep to pull her closer.

"What happened between you and Inuyasha _last night, Kagome_?" Sango repeated.

" _Nuh_ -thing," Kagome lied with emphasis, trying to sound convincing as she detached herself from her friend's claw-like grip. Kagome knew Sango wouldn't drop it. Kagome turned her eyes away from Sango's questioning stare. Sango knew her too well; she would know Kagome was lying.

"Kagome…"

"What?" Kagome groaned, not returning Sango's gaze.

Suddenly clarity seemed to dawn on Sango and her eyes widened.

"Oh my _God_ , you two didn't…Kagome Higurashi, tell me this minute. Did you—"

" _No!_ No-no-no, Sango. Jesus, nothing like _that_ happened."

Sango leaned towards Kagome, and narrowed her eyes in her inspection. Kagome reactively leaned away from Sango.

"Why is your face so red if nothing happened? Also, your lips are swollen, Kagome."

"Because I'm anxious from getting interrogated by you before I have a _formal_ interrogation in a few hours? And, I bite my lips all the time, Sango. You know that; they're constantly dry."

"Mhmm…"

Kagome scoffed, rolled her eyes, and then finally met Sango's curious and suspicious eye. "Alright, _Nosy_. He came to see me last night to apologize about this…whole thing," Kagome said, struggling to identify what the situation really was. "We argued—"

"—Typical—" Sango interjected.

"—And he _kinda_ stayed the night."

" _No he didn't_ …" Sango giggled, smacking her palms against the countertop and turning in her seat with a wideset grin.

Kagome nodded, her face on fire. "Nothing much _happened_ ," she muttered, "nothing that would interest _you_ anyway, you pervert. But yeah, long story short, he stayed."

Sango laughed and grabbed hold of Kagome's hand, squeezing her best friend's fingers encouragingly. "Kagome, that's really, _really_ amazing. I'm really happy for you. Was everything okay with you two?"

Kagome shrugged, curious what Sango may have thought happened between her and Inuyasha, but not curious enough to address it.

"Everything was fine until his nightmare this morning."

"Nightmare?"

Kagome simultaneously shrugged and nodded. She then shared with Sango Inuyasha's dodgy behaviour this morning, including his intense sweating and fleeing from her room.

"That's really bizarre," Sango mused, placing a finger on her chin. "And he really didn't say anything about what caused it? The nightmare, I mean."

Kagome shook her head. "Other than lying to me that he was fine and that his dream was nothing, he didn't say much of anything. But, I could tell from the look on his face that something really spooked him. Actually, Sango, I'm wrong; he did say something else, but it was while he was talking in his sleep. He said, _I'm sorry, Mus_ _ō_ "

Sango's nose shriveled. "Who's Musō?"

"That was my question, too," Kagome replied with raised eyebrows. "I'm worried about him, Sango. All the stuff with me aside, three of the band members attack the house and then two months later another band member strikes again. I don't know why, but they're going after him, Sango. It definitely seems that way, at least. This is all too crazy to be coincidence. Right?"

"What about you, Kagome?" Sango stated, her tone turning soft and serious. "You can't downplay how involved in these events you've been. I mean, that car chase was primarily involving you. Inuyasha got involved because he chose to. You didn't _choose_ to be followed or involved in a car chase."

"No, I get that, Sango."

"Miroku told me months ago that you were in danger; that that's why you needed to stay here; that it was safer for you here."

"Yeah, I know," Kagome breathed. "I don't know, maybe Inuyasha is the target and I'm just getting hit in the crossfire? I don't know; it all doesn't add up. Again, it would be helpful if someone would just tell me what the hell is happening."

The girls were interrupted by the sudden appearance of Miroku and Kaede in the kitchen. Miroku's boyish laugh echoed off the cold quartz counters and wooden cabinets. The atmosphere had then suddenly brightened and Kagome happily accepted a cup of coffee from Kaede—she truly didn't understand how she had been able to stay away from it until then.

Two cups of coffee and some small talk later, Kagome had left the kitchen in order to prepare for her morning appointment at the police station. As Kagome had left the kitchen, it wasn't lost on her that Miroku took over Kagome's chair beside Sango.

Watching Totosai turn onto the street belonging to Sengoku Manor, Kagome started to bite her lip. She wanted answers. Her body felt antsy and irritable from knowing how much she didn't know.

"You look troubled, Miss Kagome," Totosai called from the front seat. Kagome raised her head to meet Totosai's eyes in the rear-view mirror. "Is everything alright?"

Kagome forced a smile and tried to laugh away her anxiety. "Yes, sorry, I'm fine. Just thinking."

Kagome watched Totosai's eyes crinkle from the smile he made outside of her line of sight, and she turned her eyes back outside her window.

She heard the usual creak of the rod iron gates and watched the usual shadow dance of the tree trunks flying by the moving vehicle as it coasted down the driveway. Turning her eyes to the middle console of the car, Kagome couldn't believe it was still morning; between Inuyasha running from her bed, her conversation with Sango, and then the interrogation, Kagome was about ready to go back to bed. It almost felt impossible to believe it was barely 10:00 a.m.

Totosai mumbled in an irritated tone and it caused Kagome to exit from her thoughts. Looking out the front windshield, Kagome felt her eyebrows squeeze together in question. Inuyasha stood in a circle with his legal team—and Miroku—in front of the house.

"How are they home already?" Kagome verbalized with wide eyes, unaware of Totosai's nodding in agreement to her question. Totosai knew he tended to drive on the slower side—much to his employer's chagrin—but Totosai didn't believe he was _that_ slow.

 _What the hell? How is that even possible?_ Kagome's mind wailed. _He hadn't even gone_ in _yet when we were leaving! His interview must have been not even 10 minutes!_

"Kagome!" Sango called once Kagome stepped foot out of the parked car. Kagome had clambered out of the vehicle before Totosai could even attempt to open the door for her.

"You guys are back already?"

Sango's face became covered with an ambiguous expression; her morning hadn't gone as planned either: Sango had been asked by the senior partners to wait in the hallway rather than attend the interrogation.

Why would they have bothered to ask her to come at all if they were just going to ask her to wait in the hallway? How could she do her job when not even in the same room as the rest of the team?

'This shouldn't take long', one of the partners had claimed before disappearing behind a windowless door. Grumbling and irritated, Sango had watched as the four men—the two lawyers, Miroku, and Inuyasha—walked into the room greeting two men in suit and tie; they didn't even look like police officers.

Sango tried to convince herself it wasn't a sexist thing, that there was some explanation for this choice to keep her out of whatever conversation was going to happen. However, when the meeting ended, Miroku kept avoiding or deferring answering Sango's questions. Even Inuyasha had eventually replied, 'I would drop it, for your sake, Sango.'

 _What the hell does_ that _even mean?_ Sango questioned, left to stew in frustration and anger the entire car ride home.

"Inuyasha was quite proficient with his answers," Miroku finally spoke up, not oblivious to the incredulity of the two women. "We were in and out of there in fifteen minutes."

 _Yet,_ my _interview lasted an hour and a half…_ Kagome groaned in her mind.

 _Yet,_ I _wasn't allowed in, chauvinistic bastards_ …Sango growled to herself.

"But you're home before us? We _left_ before you."

Miroku smiled; he appreciated Kagome's stubbornness.

"Ah, yes; that can be explained by Inuyasha's erratic driving. One would think that being in a car accident less than twenty-four hours ago would make him slightly more cautious; but—" Miroku laughed with a shrug, "—That's Inuyasha."

"Stop complaining, Miroku," Inuyasha barked as he left his lawyers and meandered over to the three. "Everyone's in one piece, the cops got what they wanted and we can all just move on from that bullshit."

"Your interrogation went well then, Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice felt small leaving her lips. These were the first words directed at him since their intimacy— _nipples erect, Kegel muscles flexing, fingers gripping clothing_ —the night before.

"Yep."

Sango had to bite her lip to prevent herself from saying anything as she watched Kagome's reaction to Inuyasha's cold response. Kagome's eyes widened and her neck jolted as if she had been slapped in the face. Kagome's eyes lowered and paced over the ground in front of her. Her entire body seemed to shrink into itself.

"Did everything go well with your interview, Kagome?"

Miroku too was gingerly aware of Kagome's response to Inuyasha's curtness. He could see her trying to hide the look of hurt and confusion on her face.

Shaking her head slightly, Kagome took a breath and forced a small laugh with a closed-eye smile. "It was long, but I'm glad it's over. Actually, Miroku, I was wondering if—"

"This is so _fucking_ stupid," Inuyasha hissed suddenly, randomly, and so hotly that it caused Kagome to jump and to completely forget what she had been about to say.

"Inuyasha," Miroku scolded, shaking his head, as if he knew what had set Inuyasha off. "I thought we discussed this..."

"Is everything okay, Inuyasha?" Kagome inquired, not knowing what Miroku's comment had meant. After a silence following her question, Kagome suddenly felt introspective, worried about how meek she thought she sounded.

"All of this is just really fucking stupid; I'm fucking _sick_ of this shit," Inuyasha snarled again. Gripping his hands into fists, he stormed away from the group, hopping the portico steps two at a time and disappearing through the large front doors.

"What's wrong with Inuyasha?" Sango asked, taking a protective step closer to Kagome.

Miroku sighed laboriously and rubbed at the back of his neck. "He's just had a long day, I think."

"It's not even noon yet, Miroku," Sango chided.

Miroku tried to smile warmly, although Sango could detect a sad look in his eyes. "It may still be morning, but a lot has happened for him."

Smiling once more at Sango, and squeezing Kagome's elbow supportively, Miroku bid a "Pardon me, ladies" to both girls and turned to follow in Inuyasha's steps, disappearing into the front door.

Sango shook her head in confusion and turned to her friend. "I want to get out of these clothes and then would you want to watch a movie, Kagome?"

Kagome pulled her lips to the side and released a heavy exhale.

How could he possibly be back to that hot-and-cold bullshit? Kagome's mind reeled. She couldn't believe how indifferent to her he had been. Five hours ago, she had woken up in the same bed as him. Five hours ago, he had been asleep with an arm draped across her stomach, his chin on her shoulder. Seven hours ago, she had to use every ounce of strength in her willpower not to rush things and have sex with him. Seven hours ago, they had been lost in each other, with pleasing her seeming to be the only thing on his mind.

How had so much changed, how could all of that be completely forgotten in such a short span of time?

The confusion felt so all-consuming Kagome could have gagged on it. Squeezing the bridge of her nose, she hadn't before realized the headache thrashing around behind her eyes.

"Actually, Sango, if it's okay with you, I think I might just go lay down. I'm not feeling all that great."

* * *

Much to Kagome's surprise, sleep found her after almost thirty minutes of lying in bed. Much to Kagome's extreme pleasure, she had also found that the household staff changed the sheets when making the bed. This made it a lot easier for Kagome to toss the pillows to the floor and climb underneath the cavernous duvet.

Dreams had kept their distance although her thoughts were quite loud when she first faced the darkness of her closed eyes. Putting conscious effort into not thinking and not crying, Kagome had gratefully found sleep, waking up mid-afternoon and feeling too confused to leave her room. The thoughts she tried to escape by sleeping were quickly creeping up on her.

Reaching for her phone on her bedside table, Kagome tried to distract herself by browsing her social media. She ignored how she had more notifications and friend requests than could be displayed in the pop-up bubble. Primarily, Kagome wanted to check in on her brother.

She saw that he was still playing soccer and watched some few-second-long videos he had posted on his pages from recent games he played. Feeling slightly homesick, Kagome decided to internet browse instead, reading the news, online shopping—really anything to keep her distracted from thinking about a particular person.

However, it was difficult to keep her brain away from the subject of Inuyasha. With the car chase and the death of Suikotsu so recent, Kagome found it impossible not to see the subject in any newsfeed. She saw YouTube links from voyeurs who had witnessed the events of the day prior. These were the people who posted the videos like "Inuyasha and Kagome's First PDA!" or "InUyAsHa's TrAsHeD SpOrTsCaR!" Kagome saw a link to a newspaper's website with the caption "Inuyasha ran my mother off the road: An Interview" and another link to "Small business forced to rebuild after demolished by car accident."

Kagome felt sick and struggled to sit up in her bed. The sheets and duvet felt choking. Browsing through the links including both her name and Inuyasha, voices from a long past conversation started to haunt her:

 _"Not that I care or anything, but how come you've never asked me about the band?"_

 _"Oh, um, honestly? It's none of my business."_

 _"You actually don't care?"_

 _"It's not that I don't care. I said it's none of my business. I try to think about it if our roles were reversed. If I was you, I wouldn't want my entire life to be defined by one part of my past. Just because my life had been made public to everyone, doesn't give everyone the right to know all about my private life, you know?"_

Kagome groaned and rested her head against the headboard of the bed, her eyes temporarily removed from her phone to skim the ceiling as she thought. The Internet was such an incredible resource and she had every opportunity to put to rest some of the questions for which she desperately sought answers. All it would take is a quick search bar filled with particular characters and she could obtain the world's insight into what happened between Inuyasha and the band.

Kagome's heart was pounding at the idea. How easy it would be for her to type in Inuyasha's name and, likely on the first page of search results, explore links that would take her into an exploration of his past—news articles, blogs, pictures, forums.

Yet, no matter how accessible that information was to her, she couldn't overcome the roadblock she felt. She just _couldn't_ do it. Why?

 _Because it's an invasion of his privacy_ , she moaned internally. _It's a breach of his trust_. _Just because he's famous doesn't mean I have the right to obtain information about him that he doesn't wish to share with me._

 _I mean, how would I feel if I didn't want him knowing information about me but he could just as easily go behind my back to learn that information? That's not how relationships should be._

 _What_ relationship? A voice within her body retorted sarcastically. _W_ _hatever the two of you have going on, it's certainly not a_ relationship.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Well, whatever it is then going on between us," she verbalized cheekily in response.

Kagome sighed and turned her eyes back to her phone. The untouched blue links on the browser from her previous search results taunted her. Kagome scrolled to the top of the page in hopes of clearing her search history. However, before she could hit the back button, Kagome's eyes fell upon a link that piqued her interest and seemed safe enough— _16 of The Band of Seven's Greatest Moments._

Thinking that their trial likely wouldn't be called one of their _greatest moments_ , Kagome deemed the link safe and clicked it. She held her breath as she watched the circle cursor impatiently as the page loaded. She couldn't rid herself the feeling that she was doing something she should not be.

Once the page loaded, Kagome observed that a picture and a short paragraph providing rationale for each 'great moment' accompanied each numbered icon. Kagome scrolled through, taking particular note of a few items:

 _Number 16 – The band changes their name from "A Band of Thieves"_

 _Number 12 – The band's first Asia-wide tour_

 _Number 10 – The band's first North American tour_

 _Number 05 – The release of their final album,_ Mt. Hakurei

 _Number 03 – The launch of Kikyo's career_

 _Number 01 – Inuyasha signs on to manage the band_

Kagome smiled at the image accompanying point number one. She found it endearing that this fan—whoever they were—had genuinely believed that Inuyasha was the best thing to have happened to the band. With recent events heavy on her mind, she wondered what Inuyasha would have had to say about that. Skimming the paragraph for point number one, Kagome noted key words of interest such as "greater exposure," "better publicity," and "more eye candy."

Smiling to herself at the idea of fangirls all over the world thinking of Inuyasha as eye candy— _and here I am sitting in a bed inside his house…a bed that he joined me in last night...—_ Kagome absentmindedly scrolled through the pictures again.

Her eyes wavered over male faces she didn't recognize and others she did, primarily Suikotsu and Mukotsu. The smiling, happy faces of the two men with whom she associated so much anger and pain made her feel uncomfortable. Scrolling quickly, desperate to escape the harmfully familiar faces, her phone's browser finally settled on the picture for number twelve: the band's first Asia-wide tour. With Inuyasha being the primary focus in the foreground, Kagome held the phone in both hands and explored the picture in a bit more detail.

A younger Inuyasha stood in front of a giant crowd of people, a sign saying "Welcome to Shanghai" visible in the background. Some of the other band members were evident in the picture; however, their backs were to the camera while they seemed to be signing autographs for fans. Kagome's eyes turned back towards Inuyasha's face—despite it being, as the blog said, one of their greatest moments, Inuyasha looked genuinely unhappy, almost emotionless. Kagome couldn't place his expression other than it didn't seem to fit the occasion. The blogger had written-off his expression, stating that "that _Inu attitude_ we all know and love" was present in the picture. However, Kagome didn't think it was right to label the expression as simply his attitude. He looked angry.

Kagome's eyes scoured the picture in hopes of finding a source to explain his reaction. Kagome made note of the following: Inuyasha was writing on what looked like a CD for a little boy—maybe the little boy was annoying? There was also a man, likely the boy's dad, with untamed black hair—maybe he was an aggressive parent harassing Inuyasha to sign the CD? The man stood behind the boy with his hands tightly gripping the boy's shoulders—could he have been neglecting the child and Inuyasha witnessed it? That grip looked controlling, unnecessary.

Kagome narrowed her eyes at both the child and the man, eventually determining the child was just a kid and there wasn't anything more she could read into about him. But, then her attention turned back to the man; although she didn't recognize him, she didn't associate a good feeling with the man's face.

A knock on the door caused Kagome to jump and she audibly laughed at herself, feeling ridiculous for scrutinizing a picture with such intensity.

"Hey, Kagome," Sango called from the slightly opened door. "Do you mind if I come in?"

Kagome smiled at her friend and sat up further in bed, moving her body from the middle to one side of the bed. "Yeah, of course, Sango."

Sango closed the door behind her and climbed on top of the bed, leaning against the headboard next to Kagome.

"What have you been doing?"

Kagome laughed. "Well, I was napping. But then I decided to browse the Internet and I ended up finding this stupid click-bait blog about the Band of Seven, and—"

Sango's laugh interrupted Kagome's thoughts. "Find out anything good?"

Kagome covered her face with both hands. "You mean other than the fact that I was driven to analyse a picture of Inuyasha because I can't, for the life of me, understand the _real_ Inuyasha?"

Sango laughed again and patted Kagome's thigh. She then picked up her friend's phone, eager to look at the picture in question that Kagome had been analyzing. The girls sat in silence as Sango scrolled through the 16 pictures just as Kagome had minutes ago.

"I agree with most of these; however, they're pretty common-known events for the band."

Kagome snickered. "It was the first I heard of any of it."

"Not everyone is you, Kagome," Sango chided affectionately. "Some people _actually_ pay attention to the news in real time." Kagome laughed and rolled her eyes at her friend, swatting her arm.

"But, I feel like this list should have been _seventeen_ of their greatest moments," Sango laughed sarcastically. "The author didn't list emboldening their apparent stalker as a moment of triumph."

"Stalker?" Kagome echoed, recoiling at the suggestion and frowning. "What on earth are you talking about, Sango?"

"You said you were analyzing pictures? How could you miss it? This guy here with the crazy black hair from the 80's? He's in almost all of the pictures."

"What?" Kagome squawked. "No way."

Grabbing her phone back, Kagome scrutinized each picture, amazed that she hadn't noticed something as simple as one man being present in almost each and every picture. To Kagome's surprise, it was that black-haired Dad with the claw-like grip on his son.

No wonder Inuyasha looked so displeased. Maybe he knew he was being stalked.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

Welp – better late than never, right? Thanks to everyone who is still enjoying this story even though I've kind of been slacking with the updates. You guys are the best!

Please review with your thoughts! :3


	19. Visitor

**Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Visitor_

* * *

Two days had come and gone, bringing with them even more questions and even fewer answers for Kagome. It was mid-afternoon and Kagome was completing her third lap of the Manor's perimeter; she desperately sought stress relief and felt that physical exhaustion, followed by a bottle of wine, was just the sort of itinerary she needed.

Keeping her eyes concentrated ahead of her, Kagome tried to focus on her breathing. She tried to ignore the cramp starting to expand in her right side. She made a mental reminder of the pothole in the pathway coming up shortly so she wouldn't trip over it again, like she had in her last two laps. She also chastised herself to stop peering into the pool-house, on her way by, in hopes of catching a glimpse of Inuyasha doing laps. It was information she wished she didn't have; she had unintendedly noticed him on her first round and now her mind was polluted. She could never _un-know_ he was there. Now, with a mind of their own, her eyes knew where to turn and focus each time she passed.

On top of Kagome's general concerns regarding a particular male's affections, Kagome and Sango's 'stalker' revelation a few days prior had rested heavily in Kagome's mind. Not only did she have her common questions—such as "what is so bad about Inuyasha's past that he can't talk about it?" and "why did four band members come after Inuyasha?" and "why me?"—she now had a plethora of other questions to add to her list. Even though Kagome pursued jogging hoping it would clear her mind, the thoughts that floated through her consciousness were just as present now as they had been the past few days. If anything, the sound of Kagome's footsteps on the gravel pathway just inspired a quickened rhythm to the pace of her thoughts.

 _Does this 'Mus_ _ō' person play a large role in Inuyasha's past? H_ _ow can I get Miroku or Inuyasha to tell me about him? Maybe I could get Sango to talk to Miroku for me… Who is this 'stalker' guy? Is he in any other pictures? Am I going behind Inuyasha's back if I look that up online? Probably… Is he really a_ stalker, _though, or were Sango and I just jumping to conclusions?_

Crunch of gravel. Gasp for air. Blood pumping in her ears.

 _Why was Inuyasha so mad after his questioning at the police station? I mean, the fact of the matter is that Inuyasha killed band members in self-defence…in_ my _defence…yet his questioning took no time at all; in fact, the police have played such a little role in all this it's like they don't even care. Why? Shouldn't the authorities be all over this? I mean, I'm happy for Inuyasha that it's not a big deal; but, I can't help but feel like it should be a big deal._

Crunch of gravel. Gasp for air. _Shit, cramp, cramp, cramp…_

 _I wonder if Inuyasha heard the news that two more of his bandmates were released on bail today. Does he listen to the news? Maybe Miroku would have told him. I wonder if I should ask him about it. Or will he just think I'm prying if I suddenly show an interest? Maybe Sango will know more about it…_

Crunch, crunch, crunch, under her feet.

 _Is there even a small, remote part of Inuyasha that has feelings for me?_

Kagome growled in frustration and pushed her body forward, her face warming from her clenched teeth.

 _I will not think about him that way. I will not encourage this._

Dust trailed up from the souls of her running shoes as she approached her fourth lap of the property. Kagome's escalated, coarse breaths panted in time with her thoughts.

 _I will not think about him. I will not encourage this. It's a stupid attraction. It's convenient. It's a distraction. I'm an idiot for thinking this could work out. It's nothing; it will always be noth—_

"Kagome! I can't believe you started without me!"

Kagome flinched slightly and slowed her velocity. The voice of her best friend pierced through her thoughts. Kagome turned her eyes over her shoulder to witness Sango dashing to catch up to Kagome; Sango finally slowed to a jog once she was parallel beside her friend. Sango's bangs were slightly matted with sweat and her makeup from earlier in the day glistened from perspiration like satiny highlighter. Sango must have sprinted from the house to try to catch up.

Seeing her friend in her workout garb, Kagome couldn't recall the last time she had heard Sango talk about her kickboxing. In their old life—their life before Inuyasha and RT Landscaping—Sango was highly absorbed in her classes, prioritizing her daily training. Kagome always joked that exercise was like a religion to Sango; she dedicated time in her every day to her training. However, knowing how important it used to be to Sango, ever since Sango started coming around the Manor more, Kagome wasn't sure how Sango had been keeping up her training.

Kagome eyed her friend's outfit head to toe. Yet, despite never seeing or hearing about her friend's lifestyle obsession, Sango's bright purple sports bra and black leggings made Kagome realize that Sango clearly must have established some kind of workout at the house. Looking at her own yoga pants, running shoes, and halter tank top, then, Kagome suddenly felt self-conscious of how she must have looked to all she passed on the property in comparison to Sango's model physique.

"Sango," Kagome exhaled, strained, out of breath. "Hey." Her heartbeat was loud in her ears and in her throat.

"Kagome, you sound exhausted. Why don't you stop? You must have been at this for at least an hour."

 _Why would he return my advances if he had no interest in me? Am I really just a convenience for him? Stupid, Inuyasha. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid…_

Kagome peered her eyes forward, determination and frustration pooling in her sternum as she frowned her thoughts to silence. _Not this again…_

Taking a meaty inhalation of oxygen, Kagome set off at a brisk pace, Sango quick on her heels. She couldn't risk giving her thoughts time to catch up with her while she rested.

"Whoa," Sango laughed, pumping her arms to maintain a steady pace. "Easy, there, Kagome."

"I've decided," breath, "I'm running until," breath, "I'm too tired," breath, "to think anymore, Sango." Kagome gasped for air and clutched her right hand to her waist as the cramp reappeared. "I feel like I'm going to think myself to death."

Realizing she had enough energy to overtake her friend's speed, Sango slowed her pace to jog alongside Kagome. She turned thoughtful brown eyes to her friend. "Still bothered by Inuyasha?"

Kagome took a painstaking deep breath before answering. "And the band, and the lack of police involvement," Kagome inhaled deeply, "and why I'm involved, and why I'm even still _living_ here, and not knowing what to do about my family." She paused to take a breath, her tone becoming laced with vexation _. "And_ Inuyasha and his _stupid_ mixed-signals and—"

 _Jerk, jerk, stupid-face, jerk-bag, JERK._

"—Whoa, Kagome, stop for a second," Sango called, reaching to grab hold of Kagome's perspiration-coated arm to pull her to a stop. "Are you okay? I thought our conversation last night helped a bit with all this. When I suggested we start working out together for stress relief I didn't mean you should run yourself ragged."

Kagome rested her hands on her hips and felt her chest heaving from how out of breath she felt. Feeling her stomach churning from the pressure of her cramp, Kagome bowed forward slightly, digging her fingers into her side. Her entire body seemed to pulse from her heartbeat. Licking her lips and trying to moisten her drying mouth, Kagome swallowed heavily. Her eyes circled pebbles by her feet. Finally, she stood erect and met Sango's eye.

"There's two more getting out, Sango. Did you see the news this morning?"

Sango bit her own lips and placed her hands on her hips, her long fingernails denting into the toned flesh of her stomach. Her features melted from strong concern to empathy. "Oh, Kagome—I thought we also agreed you were going to stay away from the media. Between the videos of you and Inuyasha or pictures of the band, I thought we decided it just wasn't a good idea for your sanity." Sango sighed, lowering her eyes. Her tone softening. "But yes, I heard about that; Miroku told me."

Kagome swallowed again and turned her gaze to watch the maintenance man drive by in his Kubota. She didn't know how to respond to Sango.

"If you're paying attention to the news, Kagome," Sango continued with a newfound urgency, shaking her head, "despite everything we've talked about," she paused to swipe at her bangs. "I didn't realize how seriously troubled you are by all this. Now I feel like a bad friend."

"What?" Kagome gasped. "Why would you say that? You're one of the sole things keeping me sane here, Sango."

"I don't know," Sango shook her head, her dark brown ponytail whiplashing behind her head. "I feel like we talk about what bothers you and you seem better in the moment, but then the next time I see you it's like you're worse off." Sango's thought trailed away and turned to a sigh. "Like now, for example, Kagome. We made a plan to work out together in the afternoons; we said we'd do a lap and then we'd run through some of my exercises from class. But when I come out here, I find that you've already started and are pretty much done your workout because you don't want to think anymore.

"If you're being driven to those extremes, I don't think I'm really helping you all that much…or maybe as much as I could be. I'm just so busy with the lawyers and—"

Kagome tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears and interrupted her friend with an apology. "I'm sorry, Sango. It's not like I planned to go ahead without you. I just felt so frustrated from watching the news, which I realize in retrospect was a bad idea. I just needed to register what I heard. Time to figure out what that could mean."

Sango took a thoughtful minute before responding to Kagome.

"You think the other two will come after you?"

Kagome shrugged. The same idea that had been on the brink of her thoughts sounded a lot sillier on the lips of someone else. "It seems like an irrational thing to say, but after the crazy things that have happened these past few months, I don't know. Am I nuts for thinking my life is in danger because they're out, Sango? It's not like I can ask Inuyasha his thoughts on the subject."

Sango pouted her lips. "Are you two still not talking?"

Kagome snorted. "Not talking?" She began sarcastically. "I feel like I haven't seen him at all. It's like this stupid house is so big I don't even know where I could go to find him."

Which wasn't entirely true, she thought to herself. She had set eyes on him doing those laps of the pool when she ran by on her first lap of the grounds. Sango, she thought, didn't need to know that though.

Sango shook her head. "But why watch the news in the first place? I thought it gives you anxiety."

Kagome rolled her eyes at herself. "Oh, it does. I just couldn't help myself."

"But why, Kagome?"

Kagome sighed. "In hopes it will help me understand him? In hopes I'll finally get some answers without having to do something that I feel is going behind his back. I'm tired of feeling like I'm hiding here, Sango. I just want to know what is going on." She paused and turned a hopeful, toothy smile to her friend. "Maybe you could—"

Sango interrupted Kagome with a sigh. "Common, Kagome…I thought we agreed you weren't going to ask me to seek answers from Inuyasha…"

Kagome pouted and kicked a rock with the toe of her shoe. "It doesn't _have_ to be Inuyasha. You could ask Miro—"

"—And I _definitely_ am not going to ask Miroku. Do you know that that pervert…"

Sango trailed off, becoming distracted at Kagome's laughter. Kagome couldn't help but chuckle and smile at Sango's blush and standoffish demeanour at the mention of Miroku's name.

Sango sighed coarsely, her cheeks pink. "He drives me crazy."

Kagome titled her head to the side with a knowing smile. "He likes you, Sango."

"He likes _all_ women, Kagome. I'm just convenient."

Kagome sighed and shook her head. Hearing a word she had recently used to describe herself made Kagome feel a sudden closeness to Sango. She also felt badly to think that while Kagome had been completely absorbed in her own male-oriented problems she had failed to notice that her friend had gotten herself wrapped up in her own boy troubles.

"Anyway," Sango finally said, breaking the silence and raising her arms above her head to stretch her back. "That's enough talk about Miroku. Have you thought about what you want to do about Inuyasha?"

Kagome snorted in response—which Sango took to mean 'no'—and Sango smiled empathetically at her girlfriend.

"Nothing's changed, huh?"

Kagome tried to smile to lighten the mood. "Every day that passes, Sango, I end up with more questions than answers. Thinking about him causes me to simultaneously feel excited and nauseated from how much he causes my head to spin. Running sometimes help clear my head. But when I have nothing to do it's way too easy for my brain to focus on him. It's really," Kagome paused to try to think of the right word. "Inconvenient."

"Well, what can I do to help, Kagome?"

Kagome smiled at her friend appreciatively. "You do what you can to help me, Sango, and I really appreciate that. Unfortunately, how I'm feeling is something I need to figure out. Besides, like you said you've been busy with his lawyers and Miroku—" Kagome consciously ignored the unimpressed raised eyebrow she received from Sango at the mention of a particular black-haired gentleman's name— "and I've been wrapped up in…nothing, as per usual. Maybe I turn to the news out of boredom."

"Kagome…" Sango mourned, reaching her hand towards her friend supportively.

"No, it's fine, Sango. I've kinda grown used to the idea that I have nothing going for me here. Inuyasha has been A.W.O.L. and I have no idea how to bridge the gap I've made with my family." Kagome sighed. "At the end of the day, I wonder if it's really all that good for me to stay here." She laughed with a slight shake of her head. "I feel like all this stress can't be good for a person."

"Let me help you, Kagome," Sango pressed. Her brow felt tight with worry. "What can I do?"

Kagome smiled at her friend, her breathing finally settling. "Every time we talk about this, Sango, you ask how you can help. But, you can't talk about the stuff that I wanna talk about, remember? _Attorney-client privilege_? If anything, it's not fair for me to keep bringing all this up with you."

"It's also not fair that you have to suffer in silence," Sango replied, unconvinced. "Maybe if you tried talking to Inuyasha…"

Kagome guffawed and rubbed at the back of her neck. "I don't have the stomach to try to approach him about any of this. Not since the other night… _way_ too embarrassing." She focused her brown eyes on her friend and smiled. "Besides, I feel like I've been anything but silent. At least to you, maybe. I really wouldn't know what to say to Inuyasha should we cross paths."

"I can't believe you two really haven't spoken since…"

"Since we spent the night together? Nope. Although, I can't say I'm really all that surprised. I don't think he knows what he wants and there is clearly a lot happening that he doesn't want me a part of, so it's probably just best that I keep my distance."

"Kagome…" Sango empathized, her eyes shimmering with sympathy for her friend.

"No, Sango, honestly, it's fine. It sucks right now, and it's easy to feud or complain about, but I'll get over it. I think my primary focus just needs to be finding somewhere else to stay."

"But what about the media?" Sango inquired, angling her body to start walking towards the house. The girls had stopped to converse beside the tennis courts, and Sango thought this conversation would be better suited in more of a private location. To Sango's pleasure, Kagome followed without any argument.

Kagome sighed and walked with her hands on her hips. "Somehow other people who have been in worse situations than me survived the media; I can't cower inside Inuyasha's house forever, Sango. Besides, I've pretty much settled on the fact that I've been involved in all this band-related crap because of my association with Inuyasha. It's in my best interest to leave."

"Where will you go? To the Shrine?"

Kagome laughed out loud at the question and stopped, scratching at her cheek. "I can't even return my family's calls or text messages, Sango. You think I'll be able to just show up on their doorstep and continue on like nothing's happened? It's not fair for them. No," she sighed. "I think it's best for me to go, I don't know, somewhere else."

"But where is somewhere else, Kagome?"

Kagome didn't respond right away. The reflection of the shimmering pool water distracted her and she could somehow, just barely, make out the outline of Inuyasha's red swimming trunks in the pool-house. Of course, she had to turn just then to see him through the reflective, greenhouse-looking glass. Of course, she had to be reminded of those embarrassing encounters in that very same room. Kagome hated that whenever she thought of Inuyasha her thoughts immediately went into the gutter. She wasn't a horn-dog. She wasn't an insatiable woman. She hated what he did to her. It was his fault; she used to go weeks before without sexualizing the sight of a man. Now, just the faint reflection of Inuyasha's swimming trunks caused her Kegel muscles to flex.

Kagome pouted. The thought that he had been intentionally avoiding her for forty-eight hours made her blood boil. That was fine with her; she didn't want to go ahead and encourage anymore of that romantic nonsense with him anyway.

 _Stupid, good-kisser, idiot, dense, Inuyasha._

Kagome sighed hotly and turned frustrated eyes to Sango. Her tone seemed to have lost some of its enthusiasm. "This is a half-assed formulated plan, Sango. I don't know where I'll go. All I know is that I can't stand to stay here in Inuyasha's house one second longer with that infuriating, hot-and-cold, ignorant, oblivious, self-absorbed—"

"Are we talking about someone I know?"

Both girls jumped at the sudden interjection of Miroku's statement, and Sango spun on her heel.

After addressing the girls, Miroku turned his body to bid his thanks with a wave to Myoga for dropping Miroku off in the Kubota. Turning his sights back to the girls, it took Miroku no time at all to revel in the sight of Sango in her sports bra and leggings.

The sight of her peachy, toned stomach and ovular belly bottom caused him to clear his throat. He couldn't believe she would come outside wearing only a bra and skin-tight leggings. He was partly jealous that others could feast their eyes on her flesh. He was also partly—mostly, largely, entirely—aroused at the sight of her. He convinced himself she wore this outfit exclusively to get back at him, to send him a message.

 _Well, message received, my dear, Sango,_ he thought, his eyes roaming the shape of her shoulders and the curve of her breasts tautly contained in the lyrca.

"Hi Miroku," Kagome said in a small voice. Her cheeks were pink out of concern for how much he may have heard of her grumbling. However, Miroku's brain could hardly focus on anything other than how badly he wanted to be alone with Sango.

"Good afternoon, ladies—enjoying the late summer afternoon?

A sigh shot from Sango's lips. "What do you want, Miroku?"

Kagome turned with widened eyes to look at Sango, shocked at the curtness of her words. Noticing the toothy-smile Sango's comment received by Miroku, a knowing smile teased its way from Kagome's lips. It didn't take Kagome long to suspect that something had happened between the two.

"I want for nothing, Sango," Miroku smiled. "I was working on some exterior design and when I saw you two I asked Myoga to pull over."

"Why?"

"Is it wrong of me to want to say hello to my two favourite girls?"

A dramatic _pfffft_ flew from Sango's lips and she crossed her arms under her breasts, extenuating the cleavage from her C-cup mounds. Miroku cherished every second she clasped her arms together.

"Have I said something to upset you, Sango?"

"No."

"Are you certain? Because you seem a little—"

"I said 'no'."

Miroku nodded, a smile still etched on his face despite Sango's curt attempts to entice him to leave. "Have you happened to further consider my proposal from this morning, Sango, regarding dinner?" The question caused Kagome's neck to snap in Sango's direction. What did Miroku mean by _this morning_?

An even harsher, "no" flew from Sango's lips.

"'No' you haven't thought about it or 'no' you don't wish to join me?"

"No."

"Are you positive you wouldn't be interested in joining me this evening for supper, Sango?"

"No. Wait—I mean, yes," Sango gasped, her eyes narrowing at Miroku's pleased smirk. " _Yes_ , I'm positive that _no,_ I won't have dinner with you."

Miroku sighed playfully and rested a hand on his heart. "You sure know how to wound a man with your words, Sango."

"Why don't you take _Shiori_ out for dinner," Sango retorted unkindly. She still hadn't turned her eyes to meet Miroku's.

A knowing twinkle appeared in Miroku's eye; however, Kagome felt so lost she didn't know what to do with herself other than bounce her head back and forth to watch the exchange.

"Sango, you know I don't have feelings for Shiori."

"It's none of my business if you do."

"Well, you seem upset."

"I'm not upset."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"I'm not convinced by it."

"I don't care if you are or aren't, Miroku."

Miroku sighed. "Sango, I merely asked Shiori out for supper the other day because you declined my invitation, and I had made a reservation after all."

"You could have just not gone."

Miroku sighed. "You could have just said 'yes'."

"You could have just not asked Shiori."

"Sango," Miroku cooed, his periwinkle eyes narrowing devilishly. "There's no need to be jealous."

"Me? Jealous? Don't make me laugh, Miroku. I just refuse to be your flavour of the week."

"Come, come, now, Sango. You know that's not true. What about this morning when we—"

"— _I don't want to talk about this morning_ ," Sango interrupted hotly, almost tripping over her words. Her cheeks burned a deep crimson.

Kagome became awkwardly aware that something had most _definitely_ happened between the couple. How could Kagome really be that oblivious? Had she really been all that absorbed into her own problems she missed this entirely? Third-wheeling in the silence of Miroku and Sango's awkward exchange, Kagome cleared her throat. Realizing that this conversation was really none of her business, Kagome whispered, "Um, Sango…I think I'm just gonna go insi—"

"You're not leaving me here with him, Kagome," Sango muttered fiercely, interrupting Kagome. Her words caused her friend to nod dumbly and take an embarrassed step back in hopes of giving the arguing pair some privacy.

"Sango, I promise. It was just supper."

"Then how do you explain Shiori's going on about a kiss?"

"Sango, it was an innocent little peck on the cheek. It meant nothing to me. I don't know what you may have overheard this morning, but it truly was nothing."

"Well, it sure sounded like 'the peck' meant a lot to Shiori."

Miroku sighed. "She went in for a kiss after the meal and I didn't want to embarrass the poor girl; she is a colleague after all. I had to handle the situation delicately."

"You seem to have no shame in _delicately handling_ your colleagues, Miroku."

Miroku's cheeks puffed. "If you're addressing that rumour about Eri, Sango, it's simply unfounded. Those girls just _love_ to gossip. There's absolutely no truth to it."

Sango uncrossed her arms and faced Miroku directly. Her fists were clenched and her cheeks were flushed. "Oh really? So you didn't sleep with her then?"

" _No_! I've never had sexual relations with any other of my colleagues."

 _Any other_? Kagome's mind echoed.

"But you asked her to bear your children?"

Miroku tried to stifle his laugh. "It was a harmless joke at the last staff party, Sango. It was said in jest. I assure you though, Sango: I did not sleep with her." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, brushing his bangs away from his tanned forehead. "What else did you overhear the maids discussing this morning while they cleaned your room?" No response from Sango caused Miroku to smile at her coyly. "Perhaps, Sango, I should have asked the maids myself. Then, I could have simultaneously asked them to change my sheets," he said suddenly, taking a step towards her with a wink. "There's a lovely stain where you—"

"—One more word and I will obliterate you where you stand, Miroku."

Kagome stuck her thumb between her teeth and turned her face away. Her body was on fire she felt so uncomfortable. If only Sango stopped turning her eyes to stare Kagome down every time Kagome tried to tiptoe away…

"I find this conversation simply fascinating, Sango," Miroku diverted in a chipper tone. His eyes bounced between Sango's flushed cheeks and fluttering lashes, and Kagome's downturned, embarrassed eyes. "Are you sure you're not jealous?"

"No, I'm not _jealous_ ," she argued. "I just refuse to go out with someone who's a notorious womanizer."

"Even if I promise you it will be a night to remember?"

"You won't lure me into having supper with you, Miroku."

Miroku held his hands up in the air, palms facing Sango, in a gesture of innocence. "I thought we enjoyed ourselves at breakfast, Sango. I'm sorry some gossip has spoiled this for you."

Sango's face lit up and her eyes widened. She immediately felt naked before his eyes in nothing more than her lycra sports bra and pants.

"Let me take you to dinner, Sango."

"You seriously won't take _no_ for an answer, won't you?"

Miroku sighed. "You had no reservations about sharing a meal with me earlier. What's changed?"

Sango's cheeks pillowed out and her eyes shook with rage. "You took Shiori out on a date last night. You kissed her. _And_ I heard Eri talking about how you tried to bed her at the last staff party. _That's_ what's changed!"

"There's no truth to it, Sango. I assure you!"

"I can't believe I turn you down once and you immediately replace me with somebody else. How could I _possibly_ —"

Miroku took two steps towards Sango and gently placed a palm on either side of Sango's face, his thumbs jutting across her cheeks. Before she could voice another argument or move away from him, Miroku pressed his lips hungrily against hers, stealing away both her words and her breath.

When Sango eventually gave into the kiss and entwined her fingers into Miroku's hair, Kagome immediately spun on her heel to turn her back to the couple. Heading for the house on her own, she covered her cheeks with her palms, stunned and embarrassed for having witnessed such a personal conversation. Kagome couldn't believe she had no idea something had been going on between her best friend and Miroku. She had suspected that Sango had developed feelings for the man, but to hear a conversation about dating, possibly even sex, and then to be followed by such a passionate kiss? Kagome shook her head, wondering just how long this may have been conspiring between them.

Feeling uncomfortable in her skin, Kagome decided she had had enough of the outdoors and would head into the house for a shower. Gesturing hello to Myoga as the squat older man drove by once more on the Kubota, Kagome turned around to head for the patio. Being on the south side of the house meant the patio door would be the closet entry to the house.

The recent image of Miroku capturing Sango's mouth with his caused Kagome's stomach to flip indignantly. How many hours had she wasted away reminiscing about that night with Inuyasha, when their lips and limbs had been just as intertwined? How many times had she touched herself to the memory of him in the pool or the distant feeling of his hands on her skin? She couldn't remember what he tasted like anymore, or the smell of his skin, or the sound of his tensed breathing while he slept. Two days without a word or a glance exchanged between the two of them and Kagome felt homesick for him.

What was stopping her from tracking him down and telling him off for being an idiot for ignoring her? She knew which room was his; what was preventing her from going to see him to put him in his place?

She was angry. She was horny. She was confused. She just couldn't understand how two people could clearly have such a strong sexual chemistry and yet it seemed to disappear just as quickly as flicking off a light switch.

 _Stupid, light switch, Inuyasha_ , her brain grumbled.

The welcoming sight of the plush patio furniture appeared in Kagome's sights. Her brain tried to turn to memories of her night on the patio with Inuyasha before the break-in; however, she stopped those thoughts dead in their tracks. The closer she got to the house, Kagome noticed a fruit tray covered in a saran wrap. Suddenly feeling incredibly parched, Kagome honed her eyes in on some watermelon and decided she would pause her plan to go have a shower and focus on quenching both her thirst and her hunger.

If there was one thing Kagome loved more than feeding her insatiable mind, it was feeding her satiable stomach.

Squatting slightly, Kagome ripped off a corner of the wrapping and gripped two cubes of watermelon in her fingers. Popping the squares into her mouth, Kagome let an appreciative groan linger in her throat. She closed her eyes as the moist, cool pulp glided over her tongue and down her throat when she swallowed. This was exactly what she had been craving, and she didn't even realize it until now. Reaching forward, Kagome grabbed three more cubes, holding them between her thumb, middle, and ring finger. Popping two of the cubes into her mouth, Kagome leaned forward and grabbed another two pieces in her hand while still clutching onto the third.

"Jesus, you gonna save some of that for the rest of us? Or are you just gonna keep stuffing your face?"

The familiar voice caused Kagome to freeze on the spot. Swallowing quickly, Kagome's tongue licked her teeth and she gripped the cubes of melon in her fist, feeling the juice trickle along the lengths of her fingers. Standing straight, Kagome slowly turned, her mind a broken record of _not him, not him, not him,_ please _not him_. She couldn't tell if she felt angry, relieved, anxious, or livid.

Still not having turned to meet his eyes, Kagome faced forward to observe the lush landscape. She desperately wanted to turn and flee into the house. After all, she didn't _have_ to stay out here and converse with him. Her heart was beating a mile a minute. Why was her body getting worked up like this? Was she happy to see him? Was she relieved to finally hear his voice again? Or hear her name on his lips? Or was she enraged to hear the rudeness of his words?

 _Two days. We go_ two days _without speaking after we spend the night together, and_ this _is how he greets me?_

Suddenly, the only emotion Kagome felt was rage.

"What's the matter with you, Kagome? Watermelon got your tongue?"

Kagome couldn't help but roll her eyes at the smug-sounding tone he used at the end of his sentence.

 _You think you're_ sooo _funny, don't you, Inuyasha?_

Turning around to face him finally, Kagome raised her eyebrows at him. She hadn't expected to see him laying down on the sofa, his arm tucked behind his head with a billow of bicep protruding from the sleeve of a white t-shirt.

"It didn't occur to you to say _hello_ or something? I was standing here a good two minutes."

"Feh—for your information I was napping."

"Well sorry to wake you, Sleeping Beauty."

"Jesus, what's your problem, Kagome?"

She bit her lip and looked away. "Nothing, forget it. I'll see you later."

"Hey, wait a minute," he called, sitting up on the seat, his wisps of hair draping over his shoulders as his palms fell to his thighs.

Scoffing in irritation, Kagome spun on her heel. She felt slightly disappointed that she chose to wear her hair in a bun because she felt that her long ponytail, whipping over her shoulder, would have been a nicely added dramatic feature. She felt so frustrated by his behaviour that she couldn't help but feel the need for a flair of drama; he deserved it, after all the emotional turmoil he'd put her through.

"What?"

Inuyasha's tawny eyes looked up at her innocently, lazily. "You don't look so great, Kagome."

"Just what every girl wants to hear; thanks for that, Inuyasha," she griped sarcastically, turning to head back inside.

"No, wait, Idiot; that's not what I meant."

"Don't call me an idiot," Kagome argued, clenching her hands into fists. She had forgotten completely about the watermelon in her grip and she felt the pulp filter between her fingers and drip to the floor. Cursing mentally, she took three steps towards the table, grabbed a serviette, and wiped her sticky fingers clean.

"I didn't mean you look _bad_ ," he argued. "You look like something's bothering you."

"Nope; I'm peachy keen, thank you very much."

Inuyasha snorted. "What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing, I'm fine."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at her. "You don't seem fine to me."

Kagome crossed her arms and turned her face away from him, leaning her weight on her right leg. "I'm just tired and I want to go have a shower. Do you need anything?"

"Do I need anything?" he mimicked with furrowed brows. "No, obviously I don't _need_ anything. I was just gonna say—"

"Okay, then. I'll be going."

"For fuck's sake, Kagome. Will you stay here for two minutes? Sit down if you're tired."

"No, thank you," she chastened, angling her chin away from him.

Inuyasha's lips sputtered as he released an irate exhale. "You're acting really fucking weird."

"Oh, really?" Kagome retorted, turning her ireful brown eyes to meet his. "How would you know? It's not like you've been around for the past couple of days."

Inuyasha's mouth hung open slightly and his eyes paced back and forth beneath his burrowing eyebrows. He had no idea what had crawled up her ass all of a sudden.

"Do you got a problem with me or something?" he bickered, standing up to tower over her. "Because if you do, just out with it. I don't have time to deal with some snooty little girl with a grudge."

"Snooty little girl with a grudge?" Kagome shrieked, staring up at him with a furious expression. "You're one to talk about grudges, Mr. _I'm-too-dark-and-brooding-to-share-the-burden-with-anybody-else_."

"What the fuck does _that_ mean?" he bellowed, leaning down towards her in an act of intimidation. Just who the hell did she think she was, talking to him like that when they hadn't so much as exchanged two words in two days? "And who the hell are you calling _brooding_?"

"You!" she pointed at him, her cheeks warming as her index finger indented into his chest. She hadn't realized they were standing so closely. "I'm calling you brooding because that's all you do! You show up to save me from almost certain death and then you disappear God-knows-where to _brood_. Because you're a brooding, broody… _brooder_!"

Inuyasha's eyes skipped between Kagome's. He didn't know where this was coming from. He wasn't even really sure what they were arguing about in the first place.

"You're crazy, woman," Inuyasha just said bluntly, before taking a step backwards and sitting back down on the sofa.

"I'm not crazy," Kagome pouted. "You're just a jerk."

"What the hell is with the name-calling, Kagome? What did I ever do to piss you off?"

Kagome snorted and seemed to withdraw into herself for a moment, her cheeks on fire and her lips moving incessantly, as she seemed to mumble to herself.

"You know what?" she said finally. "I—"

The sound of incredibly feminine giggling caught Kagome off guard and she lost her train of thought. Turning her head to her left, Kagome's mouth hung open slightly at the sight of Miroku seemingly chasing Sango into the house. His arms wrapped around her midriff, Sango looked like she was trying to fight him off; however, in response, his lips planted intimate kisses along her shoulder and neck, encouraging another rupture of giggles out of Sango. They appeared to walk in unison, fumbling their way towards the patio door.

"Jesus fucking Christ," Inuyasha spat, getting to his feet. Kagome noticed the slightest of pinks tinting his cheeks. Was he uncomfortable? "Are you two serious right now? Miroku. Sango. What the fuck?"

The sound of Inuyasha's voice caused Sango to swat Miroku's hands away and she straightened herself, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ears. Her eyes focused firmly on the ground, her face a fluorescent cerise.

"Oh, Inuyasha," Miroku nodded. "Kagome," he continued, nodding at her as well. "We…I," he corrected, "did not think anyone was still around. I presumed everyone had gone indoors." He cleared his throat. "That was clearly my mistake."

"So what?" Inuyasha replied with crossed arms and a raised eyebrow. "You two are fucking now?"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome spat, her cheeks a vibrant pink.

"What!? I'm just stating the obvious. You saw them too, Kagome. What am I supposed to think when I see Miroku with his lecherous hands and Sango with her _fuck me eyes_."

"Fuck me eyes!?" Sango raged, her face a solid shade of red while she clenched a fist in Inuyasha's direction. "Say that again, Inuyasha; I dare you."

"Now, now, Sango," Miroku laughed, sheepishly. "There's no need to resort to violence."

"Screw you guys," Sango mumbled in response, her eyes downcast.

Before either of the two men could respond or retaliate, Sango released a growl of frustration and stormed past Kagome and Inuyasha, slamming the French door in her wake. Kagome flinched when the frame met resistance, causing the pane to shake on its hinges. She debated following after her friend; however, Kagome thought that it may be best to give Sango some time to cool down.

After a few moments of—what Kagome thought was uncomfortable—silence, Miroku groaned and rubbed his face.

"Well, thanks for nothing, Inuyasha."

"What are you blaming me for?" Inuyasa bellowed. "I was just—"

A bright, chiming ringtone cut Inuyasha off and he narrowed his eyes at Miroku, who fumbled through his pockets to find his cell phone. After enough rings that Kagome was positive the caller would have gone to voicemail, Miroku miraculously pulled the device from a front pocket of his khakis.

"Houshi speaking," he sighed triumphantly into the device.

Kagome watched in intrigue as Miroku flinched and held the device away from his ear slightly. Kagome couldn't make out words but there was a high-pitched whine coming from the other end of the phone, causing Kagome to suspect that someone was shrieking into the device at Miroku.

"I understand your frustration," he called into the device. He still kept the tech a few inches from his ear. "Yes—we're out back. No, out back—as in the backyard? It doesn't matter. What did you say? No, not to me, to the caller. No—Hitomi—don't put him through. I don't want to talk to him. Don't put him through to—Yes, hello, Miroku Houshi speaking? Uh-huh. I'm sorry, I can't speak to her whereabouts. Yes."

Kagome was mesmerized by Miroku's apparently one-sided conversation. Whose call had Hitomi transferred through to him? Who had called? Whose whereabouts was this caller seeking?

Kagome suddenly felt a rock drop in her stomach and she took a fearful step back from Miroku and the phone conversation that left a bad queasy feeling in her gut.

"Kagome," Inuyasha called hesitantly, sensing her discomfort.

She turned apologetic eyes to meet his and shook her head; she hoped it would signal to him that she was fine and didn't need his help.

 _I'm still mad at you, you know_ , her mind tried to justify.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, she's right here."

 _Who's right here?_

"Kagome?" Miroku called, holding his hand over the receiver of the phone. "It's for you."

 _Who is it?_

Kagome's eyes bounced between Inuyasha and Miroku, both of whom turned to observe Kagome's response.

 _Who is the caller?_

Taking a hesitant gulp, Kagome slowly stepped forward, reaching her hand out cautioiusly until Miroku rested the warm device into her palm.

 _Who is this? What am I doing? What do I say?_

Taking a deep, shaky breath in hopes it would stay her increasing heartrate, Kagome gulped again. Keeping her eyes on Inuyasha, Kagome licked her lips while she raised the phone to her ear.

"Kagome Higurashi speaking."

"Holy shit, it's about time someone actually put me through to you. Can you please tell those idiots to open these gawdy front gates?"

"Souta!?" Kagome screamed incredulously into the device. Her body felt paralyzed in place.

"Yeah, Kagome, it's me. Now, can you _please_ tell these people to open this stupid door? I'm not allowing you to ignore my texts anymore. We need to talk."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

After some of the darker chapters recently, I thought we needed to lighten things up a bit. Who doesn't love some of that sexy, frisky, humour between Sango and Miroku and that endearing chirping between Inuyasha and Kagome that we all love about their relationship?

What do you think will happen with Souta's visit? I'd love to hear your thoughts about it. There are some super twists and turns around the corner for you!

Your reviews, as always, are always appreciated and received with the utmost thanks!


	20. Reunited

**Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Reunited_

* * *

If he was being honest with himself, Inuyasha felt moved by the scene before him of Kagome being reunited with her brother. However, his stubbornness got the better of him and he refused to let his gladness show.

He couldn't get over that Kagome had been telling him off, not even two hours ago, for something entirely outside of his control…She had no idea what he had been through or how much stress he was under.

The most frustrating thing? He didn't see this coming; he would not have thought the situation would escalate this far beyond Inuyasha's control.

Releasing a frustrated breath of air, Inuyasha turned his strained eyes towards Kagome's back as she walked ahead of him, her kid brother beside her.

He couldn't believe he was in this situation… _again_. However, as he frowned, his eyes were still on Kagome while his mind occupied with the events of the last two days. He couldn't help but feel that the current state felt more serious than last time. Despite the blatant danger he was in, this time he had something—some _one_ —he needed to prioritize, to protect.

Inuyasha pouted and crossed his arms. He wanted Kagome to know he was pissed at her for snapping at him when it really wasn't his fault. However, he also had no idea how to explain where he had been for the last two days. He felt at an impasse; how the hell could he fix this?

Whether to his benefit or not, since he felt so clueless as to what to say to her, Kagome seemed too distracted by her little brother to pay any attention to Inuyasha. The whelp had been around for almost three hours already; Inuyasha would have thought Kagome would be ready to pay her attention back to Inuyasha now.

But, that wasn't case—it was _Souta_ this, and _Souta_ that.

Inuyasha grumbled.

 _Fine_ , he mentally spat sarcastically. She could ignore him all she wanted. She could temporarily pretend that there wasn't any weirdness between them and procrastinate with her brother. However, Inuyasha very much planned on continuing that conversation or argument or whatever it was the two of them had been having before they were so rudely interrupted. It was only a matter of time before he could get her all to himself…

Inuyasha yawned loudly, hoping to demonstrate his boredom with following the troupe around his house. He didn't know why Miroku so willingly offered to give the kid a tour of _Inuyasha's_ house. Inuyasha didn't even know why he was following the group; he didn't care at all. However, seeing how happy Kagome was in the presence of her little brother, Inuyasha rolled his eyes and grumblingly followed along. So long as Kagome was happy…

Slinking along, Inuyasha intentionally tuned out and muted Miroku's explanations and descriptions of rooms and objects. The only times Inuyasha paid any attention were when the gang bypassed rooms that were strictly off-limits to visitors. Inuyasha wanted to ensure those rooms _stayed_ off-limits.

When they were browsing rooms that _weren't_ off-limits, Inuyasha tried to keep his mind off harbouring on a certain female. He did this by reflecting on Souta's first few hours at the house.

He couldn't help but smirk cunningly at how _Inuyasha_ - _oriented_ those hours had been. He knew it wasn't a popularity contest between himself and Kagome—despite the fact that he was totally winning. Admittedly, he felt a _little_ badly gloating about being more pressing to the kid than his own sister is, especially when Kagome had gone months without seeing her family. Regardless, Inuyasha couldn't help sneering triumphantly. His pride liked feeling important.

With _Inuyasha_ being the only thing on Souta Higurashi's mind, poor Kagome couldn't change the topic of conversation onto subjects she wanted when Souta was in the presence of his greatest idol—Inuyasha Taisho.

"Which one is Inuyasha's room? I hear he owns a signed copy of every album that's ever gone platinum _ever_."

Inuyasha smiled deviously. _Oh, I do, kid…_

Miroku laughed and responded that Souta still had another floor to go before he could sneak a peek at his hero's private abode. Souta grumbled only to three seconds later whistle about the size or shape or quality or _coolness_ of another piece of décor on which his eyes feasted.

Inuyasha shook his head disapprovingly, about to tell Miroku off for encouraging the kid; however, hearing Kagome giggle while reminding Souta about his manners caused Inuyasha to clench his jaw. He may still have been pissed with Kagome's outburst at him; however, he didn't need to go and ruin her fun right now. Hearing her giggles bounce and echo down the hallway, Inuyasha felt his shoulders lighten.

He hated that her laugh made him feel at ease. He was supposed to be mad at her.

 _Nevermind_ , he thought. He'd let her have a few more minutes before he made them revisit that conversation about her attitude towards him. It was just a matter of time before he developed the nerve to instigate that conversation…

"No _way_!" Souta suddenly shouted, coming to a halt to admire a framed broken drumstick. "This can't _possibly_ be the drumstick from that one show where Kyokotsu played his kit while being lowered from a helicopter—"

"—While Inuyasha made a star appearance on set to tag-team the drum solo?" Miroku concluded with a toothy smirk, sharing in Souta's excitement. "The one and only!"

" _Dayummmm_ ," Souta chortled dramatically, shaking his head. "Kagome!" he called, turning enthused eyes over his shoulder to find his sister's gaze. "Do you realize that Kyokotsu broke his stick from the crew _dropping_ him and his kit too soon? He didn't even _miss a beat_! It was the coolest thing I've ever seen. It has to be the greatest tag-teamed drum solo in the history of music. I can't believe you'd keep such a cool memento!"

Inuyasha exhaled with a lip-vibrating _pffft_ and an eye roll to which Kagome elbowed him in the side to silence him. Her baby brother was enjoying himself and she didn't want Inuyasha to ruin it.

Inuyasha childishly sneered at Kagome for forcefully silencing him. He opened his mouth with a sneaky twinkle in his eye; he planned to share with Souta that the stunt was actually all planned. However, Miroku ruined Inuyasha's fun by clearing his throat and knowingly shaking his head 'no'. When Inuyasha swore under his breath, Miroku nodded contently and ushered Souta along for the rest of the tour.

"You're falling behind, Inuyasha," Kagome called over her shoulder.

Inuyasha groaned and dawdled behind. His tone was not lost on Kagome.

"You know," Kagome whispered with furrowed brows, slowing her pace to walk alongside him, "you could be nicer to my brother. He clearly idolizes you."

Inuyasha directed his head away from Kagome's judging gaze. Turning his eyes from her, Inuyasha tried not to allow his sights to linger on Kagome's yoga pants, appreciating how well they fit her form. Now was not the time to be doting on how much the sight of her was turning him on.

Had it really been two days since they had been in her bed together?

"I didn't ask to be idolized," he barked hotly, his cheeks reddening. "The kid's a clinger," Inuyasha concluded, tongue-in-cheek; he was trying to feign ignorance and lack of interest.

Kagome rolled her eyes at him. "Be nice," she stressed, emphasizing each word and pointing an accusatory finger at him.

"I'm always nice!" he argued loudly as Kagome simultaneously groaned, rolled her eyes and left Inuyasha walking by himself in order to catch up to her brother.

Inuyasha scoffed indignantly.

Was she serious? It wasn't like this was Inuyasha's first time being in the presence of a fan; he knew what it felt like to be looked up to and admired.

As Inuyasha continued to follow behind Kagome, Souta, and Miroku, his brow felt tight with all the thoughts muddled in his head. He was glad that Kagome was repairing her strained relationship with her family; however, the kid—who basically barged his way into Inuyasha's house—really was an annoying, clingy little fucker. Inuyasha needed to get Kagome alone to finish their conversation.

He couldn't talk to her when her brother was attached to her hip.

Hearing Souta cry out about the _coolness_ of meeting one of Inuyasha's housekeepers, Inuyasha exhaled heavily through his nostrils, trying to stay his temper. This kid was driving him crazy with his over-the-top behaviour, regardless of Kagome's asides that Souta was simply _overwhelmed_ at meeting his childhood hero.

Sure, Inuyasha felt that initial spike in self-confidence and pride any time he was accosted by admiration; however, this Souta-kid was persistent. First, he wanted Inuyasha's life story, _then_ he wanted a tour of Inuyasha's house—snoopy little brat. Ever since the kid paged the house and Hitomi forced the call on Miroku, Inuyasha wasn't in the mood to deal with this; he didn't want to entertain company. He wanted to take Kagome aside and finish their conversation. Sure, he hadn't been there for two days, but why was she so upset with him? Did she think he had been intentionally staying away from her?

He didn't like knowing things weren't right between them.

Meanwhile, there was also the problem that Inuyasha still didn't know how to explain to her just exactly where he had been the past two days…

With all these thoughts in his head, he was just glad that Miroku, moved to seeing Kagome reunited with her sibling, took the lead in providing Souta with the tour. At least the kid was being entertained and not directly by Inuyasha.

Reflecting on Souta's first appearance at the front door, Inuyasha sneered and crossed his arms as he walked.

Despite the kid's—this _Souta's_ —claims that he was here to see his sister and intervene in his older sibling's childish behaviour, he wouldn't stop obsessing over Inuyasha. He had seemed like a nice kid—could definitely tell he was related to Kagome—but Inuyasha just wasn't in the mood. From Souta's toothy grin when Miroku first opened the door, Inuyasha didn't want any of it. But, he realized, this was a big deal to Kagome. So, he kept his mouth shut, despite his desire not to.

The problem was that the time Souta spent obsessing over Inuyasha was time Souta wasn't spending with Kagome, preventing Kagome from getting her closure.

And if Kagome couldn't get her 'family closure', Inuyasha couldn't get his 'Kagome closure'.

Seeing Kagome laugh and embrace her brother in a hug, Inuyasha growled low in his throat. He didn't want to share her with this Souta-kid. He wanted her for himself. He hadn't seen her for two days. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to continue where they had left off in her bedroom those two days ago…

From the moment that Souta stepped across the threshold, his eyes deviated from his sister to his surroundings. And with the sudden dawning that Kagome was in Inuyasha's house, Souta's mind couldn't get over that _this was Inuyasha's house_. Souta's eyes had bulged and his smirk increased, and he had flocked to Inuyasha like his sister was old news.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes in memory of all those _annoying_ questions…

Souta gave Inuyasha more attention than some of the teenage fan-girls Inuyasha had met during the peak of his career.

* * *

 _3 hours earlier_

* * *

"No way," Souta had squealed with clenched fists when Miroku opened the door to him. "I can't believe this is real. Kagome!" he cried when his eyes finally found his sister behind Miroku's frame. "Oh my god, Sis. I can't believe you're actually here."

"Souta!" Kagome screeched, running with open arms to embrace her brother. Miroku couldn't remove himself out of the way fast enough.

Kagome squeezed her brother tightly. She didn't care that her skin felt tight and tacky from her dried sweat. She didn't even care if she stunk from how hard she had pushed her body earlier—she was going to embrace her little brother until he couldn't breathe.

"Holy crap, Kagome. You're choking me," Souta gagged.

Kagome rested her face into her brother's shoulder, squeezing his midriff even tighter. "It's so good to see you," she whispered. Kagome felt tears well up in her eyes as she nuzzled further into the embrace. His clothes smelt like the laundry detergent their mother used at the shrine. The nostalgia caused the tears to cascade.

"Oh man, don't cry, Kagome," Souta replied, trying to hold his sister away from him slightly. "You're getting my shoulder wet."

Kagome laughed and pulled herself straight, wiping at her eyes with the palms of her hands. "Sorry, I'm just…this is just…what are you _doing_ here? I can't believe you came all this way, Souta."

Souta just laughed, his messy brown hair bouncing across his forehead. "I was tired of hearing Mom and Gramps complain that you were never going to come around. Then _you_ were being a pain in the ass and not returning any of my messages. I just figured someone in our family had to be the adult and say _enough is enough_." He sighed with an ear-to-ear grin. "Surprised?"

Kagome smiled, backing up into the front door to hold it open for her brother to enter the house. "Very," she beamed.

"Whoa," Souta droned in a whisper as Kagome ushered him into the house.

Souta's eyes roamed over every surface available to his sight. He couldn't take it all in fast enough. Kagome asked Souta another question but he didn't notice.

All those years of obsessing over The Band of Seven, over the Taisho Brothers, and now Souta was standing in _Inuyaha Taisho's_ foyer.

"This place is…" Souta's tongue paused as he shook his head in response, words failing him. "Jesus, Kagome. I can't believe you—"

When Souta's eyes finally landed on Inuyasha, leaning against the stair rail with crossed arms, Souta had to command his body not to overreact. In his dark jeans and white t-shirt, Inuyasha looked like the definition of _cool_.

 _Be cool. Be cool_ , Souta chanted to himself. He felt like he had to will his lungs to breathe.

How _long_ had he idolized Inuyasha? The man was a musical genius. He was the mastermind behind the band's success. He was a celebrity Midas; everything he touched turned to gold.

Just like the rest of the world, Souta had been introduced to Inuyasha when he performed as a backup dancer in a music video for singer, Midori. Midori was a sensation after the airing of that music video, and it was that music video that made Souta want to be just like Inuyasha. When Inuyasha modeled his brother's clothing line, Souta saved up every penny just to purchase the boxer briefs and collared shirt that Inuyasha wore in his iconic photoshoot. Inuyasha drove the coolest cars. He dated the sexiest women—except for Kagome, _gross_ —and he transformed A Band of Thieves into The Band of Seven, the world-wide sensational band.

Inuyasha produced all the albums himself. Inuyasha composed the music and lyrics to every song The Band of Seven ever released. In Souta's eyes, Inuyasha _was the band_.

The answer was: Souta had always idolized Inuyasha Taisho, ever since Inuyasha debuted in Souta's life.

Growing up with only his sister, as a kid, Souta dreamed he could have Inuyasha as a brother. He loved to pretend that if he were to have an older brother, that brother would be just like Inuyasha. Inuyasha was the reason Souta bought his first set of dumb bells, the reason Souta bought an acoustic guitar. Inuyasha inspired Souta in how to dress. Inuyasha's attendance at every World Cup ignited Souta's obsession with soccer. To Souta, there was no one cooler, tougher, or manlier than Inuyasha.

And now, here he was: Inuyasha Taisho. Souta was in _his_ house, in _his_ presence.

Souta's mouth hung open. His round, wide eyes ceased from blinking and his brain felt like it froze.

"Holy shit, you're actually Inuyasha."

Inuyasha smirked, clearly pleased with the boy's reaction. "In the flesh, kid."

"Oh my god, it's true!" Souta laughed, running an incredulous hand through his hair. "Kagome, you really _are_ living at Inuyasha's house…"

Kagome scoffed with an eye roll. "Obviously, Souta. You came here to find me, remember?"

"I know it's just… _damn_ —" he trailed off again, his eyes turning to the ceiling. "Your house is _so_ cool, Inuyasha. Damnit, I can't believe my sister gets to _live_ here. Kagome doesn't even appreciate or realize how incredibly cool this is, how cool you are!"

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean!?" Kagome cried out indignantly at the same time Inuyasha absentmindedly replied, "Uh…thanks?"

Souta had completed a three-sixty in the foyer, his eyes soaking in his surroundings. Souta's mouth operated on autopilot, muttering his musings and amazements with no regard for the people around him.

"But seriously, Kagome has no idea just how cool you are," he continued to ramble. "I swear, the last time I watched the band's three-disc live album in New York, Kagome told me to _turn that crap off_. Can you believe it? My sister calling The Band of Seven's finest show _crap_ , and now she's bunking down with the band's head honcho?"

"Souta!" Kagome shouted. Her cheeks reddened as she held her breath and clenched her fists at the inappropriate remark. Souta ignored her outburst.

Instead, Souta walked over to the foyer wall to inspect the picture frames that sat on a mahogany hallway table."Oh man, this is _crazy_ cool. The band has really been here!?" He cried, holding up a picture taken of the band standing in front of Sengoku Manor. Souta gasped as he picked up another picture, unaware of Inuyasha's unimpressed growl and Kagome's apologies to him for her brother's behaviour. "Oh man, I recognize this picture from the two hour special that aired in 2012, after your dad passed away. Oh _man_ , I can't believe I'm standing in _Inuyasha Taisho's_ house. No one will believe me at school."

"Can you stop snooping through Inuyasha's stuff for two seconds, Souta?" Kagome cried, stomping over to her brother and forcefully removing the items from his hands. "You just got here; cool it!"

Souta's cheeks flushed and he nodded his head at his sister. "You're right. Sorry, Kagome. I got a little excited. I just never in my life imagined I would meet a real celebrity. Especially not Inuyasha. I mean—it's _Inuyasha_ , Kagome…"

"I know it's Inuyasha," Kagome sighed with a smirk. She rested a comforting hand on her brother's shoulder.

Seeing how lit up her brother's face was, Kagome laughed through her nose and squeezed her brother's hand after a moment of silence passed between them.

"I know you're excited, Souta. It's okay." She sighed again, trying to suppress tears of joy that threatened to fall. "Gosh," she exhaled, "I feel like I haven't see you in ages, Souta. I'm really happy you decided to come here. Are Mama and Gramps—"

"—Would you believe I almost wasn't allowed in," Souta scoffed, interrupting his sister.

Shaking his head, he unzipped his brown hoodie to reveal the _Mt. Hakurei_ album t-shirt he wore underneath. Shrugging his sweater off, he held it in front of his stomach, completely oblivious to the eyes that ravaged the shirt. Miroku laughed endearingly, instantly recognizing the band's album cover. Inuyasha swore _for fuck's sake_ underneath his breath when his eyes captured the sensual image of Kikyo. Kagome didn't recognize the shirt at all, although she thought she could faintly remember that girl on it from somewhere.

"Some super cranky chick who answered my call kept telling me to leave or else she was going to call the cops," Souta continued, still unaware of the attention his shirt received. "I had to hold up my student ID to the video cam in order to prove who I was. That was when my call finally got forwarded to some Houshi guy." Miroku smiled and nodded his head at the shout-out.

"How did you find me here, Souta?"

Souta laughed loudly at his sister, shaking his head. "Same old dense, Kagome. Sis, you're only a celebrity because you're dating _Inuyasha_. You moving into Inuyasha's house made some serious news." Souta was oblivious to the cry Kagome shot out at her brother's accusation that she was dating Inuyasha. Souta seemed to have another thought take over his mind as his eyes couldn't help but roam the high ceilings once more.

"Oh my God, Kagome, tell me: have you met Sesshoumaru? Does he live here too? This place is _massive_! Who all lives here? Inuyasha, can I see your room? If you show me around, I _promise_ I won't touch anything! Kagome, be honest with me, are you two really dating? Will Inuyasha Taisho become my brother-in-law? I—"

"Jesus Christ," Inuyasha barked, trying to ignore the warmth in his cheeks from Souta's comments about him and Kagome. "Kid, will you _relax_?" Inuyasha ordered. He was desperately trying to control his temper for Kagome's sake.

Turning his eyes to Kagome, Inuyasha couldn't deny the smirk that appeared upon noticing the blush on Kagome's face. Her eyes had met Inuyasha's for the briefest of seconds before she tore them away, likely too embarrassed to maintain that contact.

Inuyasha sighed, his eyes still on Kagome. He still didn't know what had prompted that outburst in Kagome just a few minutes ago on the patio. He hadn't been _that_ obtuse to realize she was mad with him.

 _I'm calling you broody because that's all you do! You show up to save me from almost certain death and then you disappear God-knows-where to_ brood.

Recalling Kagome's heated words to him just moments ago, Inuyasha tuned out of Kagome and Souta's conversation to focus on his thoughts.

How was he supposed to tell her he hadn't been at the house these past few days? How was he supposed to tell her where he'd been or what he'd been doing? That idiot Director had told Inuyasha it was best to keep Kagome out of it; but Inuyasha knew that being away from her for those two days had badly—irreparably?—strained their relationship. He wanted to be honest with her, but he was worried about the consequences of letting her know the severity of the mess she was in. She deserved to know her life was in danger. He just needed to figure out how to tell her, and what details he should keep to himself.

But, he knew not telling her everything was just going to make her ask more questions. Questions that Inuyasha knew he wasn't prepared to answer.

How could he possibly tell her that for the last two days he had been flown out of the city to debrief a task force for Naichō, Japan's intelligence agency? That he had no choice, no say, and he had to go in payment to the federal agent who kept Inuyasha out of prison?

Inuyasha's stomach contorted itself in discomfort. Kagome was already too involved. He didn't want to drag her further down the rabbit's hole into the mess of his past life. He honestly thought he had been done with those federal bastards. Unfortunately, for him, the Director of Cabinet Intelligence wasn't ready to close the case on The Band of Seven. The Director was the reason the charges were dropped against Inuyasha for the murders of Ginkotsu, Mukotsu (which was blamed on Inuyasha even though Mukotsu's death was by Miroku's hand), and Suikotsu. And as a mandatory recompense for keeping Inuyasha out of jail, Inuyasha had to oblige the Director in his request for Inuyasha to participate in the debriefing. The actions of the band members had caused the Director and his task force to reopen the case.

One thing was clear, the Director had told Inuyasha, the _oyabun_ was still at large.

The thought caused Inuyasha's gut to churn.

Sighing after realizing Kagome's kid brother still hadn't taken his eyes off of Inuyasha, Inuyasha's amber eyes tightened underneath furrowed, darkened eyebrows. He didn't like where his thoughts had taken him.

"Kagome," Inuyasha sighed, his tone softening as his eyes found Kagome's. "Why don't you take your brother out to the patio, and—"

"Can I see your room?" Souta begged again, his wide eyes beaming towards Inuyasha. "Do you have any instruments here that you can play for me? I heard rumours you have a recording studio in your house. Can I see it? Do you still know how to play 'The Tale of Banryū'? I tried to learn it on guitar but it's really difficult without a delay or wah-pedal. Can I take a picture with you? Kagome, I want to—"

"Alright, we're moving along, Souta," Kagome snapped, quickly jumping behind her brother and pushing him towards the kitchen. "You're going to drive Inuyasha crazy enough that he's going to kick you out of his house and you _just_ got here. Can it already!"

Kagome appreciated Inuyasha's idea of heading out onto the patio with Souta. She planned on sitting him down and making him tell her everything. She wanted to hear about school. She wanted him to tell her everything new in his life, including how Mama and Gramps were doing. Kagome straddled the line of guilt and relief. She was finally given a chance to make things right with her family. It was endearing that her brother got a chance to meet his childhood hero—although, why couldn't she remember ever hearing about it?—but she was tired of having to share her brother's attention with Inuyasha. _Kagome_ wanted to be the focus with Souta. When he was too busy obsessing over Inuyasha, Kagome would never be able to have an open conversation with Souta about their mom and grandfather. She needed him on her side if she was going to make things right with her family.

She just needed to take her little brother out of the same room as Inuyasha. Kagome often forgot just how infamous Inuyasha was; after all, he was just plain, old Inuyasha to her. It felt a little overwhelming and uncanny to have her brother's reactions to _celebrity Inuyasha_ bring the reminder of Inuyasha's fame to the forefront of Kagome's mind.

"Aw, come on, Sis. I'm sorry, I'll be cool, I promise. I just want to ask Inuyasha some questions." Souta escaped from Kagome's grip and bowed to Inuyasha, his hair hanging in his eyes.

"Please let me learn from you, Mr. Inuyasha, sir. I promise I won't be annoying."

"Perhaps," Miroku suggested, his silky tone interjecting for the first time, "Souta would like a tour of Sengoku Manor?" Souta's face lit up at the suggestion. "I mean, I don't see any harm in him seeing where, for example, Inuyasha eats breakfast, do you, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha was too focused on his earlier concerns that he failed to respond to Miroku. Kagome opened her mouth to interject but Miroku interrupted her.

"Let's all mutually agree that Inuyasha's silence is his consent, and let's be off! Kagome!" Miroku called, turning his attentions to the only female. "Seeing that Sango and I are having a bit of a…disagreement…why don't you join us? This way, the two of you," he nodded towards both her and Souta, "can chat while we walk around."

"Yes!" Souta cried with clenched fists. "Kagome! Can we?"

Kagome sighed. "Yeah, sure, I guess. But, keep it cool, okay? This is Inuyasha's home after all."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Where to first!?"

Miroku cleared his throat then clasped his hands together to ready his persona for that of tour guide. "Well, if you follow me, let's start with this floor. When Inuyasha moved into the manor house, he had commissioned a design team to completely reform and update the decorum. Beginning in the kitchen, you'll see—"

"Everything okay, Inuyasha?"

Once Miroku and Souta had disappeared from the foyer, Kagome stood beside Inuyasha, aware that something seemed to be troubling him.

"Yeah, I'm good," Inuyasha replied after a slight delay. "Where'd the other two go?"

"Touring," Kagome replied, smiling with one side of her face. "I'm sorry my brother seems a bit…intense," she said with a small laugh. "I hope he's not making you uncomfortable. While he's here, I'll make sure he behaves himself. Can we go catch up with them, though? There's a bunch I still want to bug Souta about. I promise, Inuyasha, he's agreed to cool it."

Inuyasha had sighed and consented; however, a few hours later, the kid still hadn't cooled it.

* * *

Inuyasha snapped out of his thoughts at hearing Kagome laugh again. It really was a wonderful, distracting, warm laugh.

Climbing the stairs to the third floor, Inuyasha tried to keep his eyes lowered and not looking upwards to face Kagome's bottom. His cheeks flushed from how badly he wanted to look, to touch. His brain took him to fantasies where he was pulling items off her lower torso with his teeth. But, Inuyasha just bit his lip and continued to trail behind the group, forcefully submerging those thoughts for now.

Hearing Miroku jump right into a dramatic reveal of Inuyasha's bedroom, Inuyasha guffawed. Miroku seemed to have no difficulty in showcasing the house to the younger Higurashi.

When Miroku and Souta disappeared through Inuyasha's bedroom door, Inuyasha witnessed Kagome's hesitancy to enter the room. Keeping her eyes down, she fingered the hem of her tank top. It was true that she had never been in his room before. Inuyasha couldn't help but crack a smile at the realization that Kagome seemed nervous to be in his bedroom.

Before thoughts about Kagome in his room could distract his brain—and his dick—Inuyasha cleared his throat in hopes it would catch Kagome's attention.

It didn't.

"Hey, Kagome," Inuyasha whispered, finally finding the courage to address her when she didn't turn to look at him. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"

Kagome turned to face him, the pink hue on her cheeks very noticeable to Inuyasha. He felt his own face redden in curiosity of what she may had been thinking to cause such a reaction from her.

A few seconds after Inuyasha's question hung in the air unanswered, Souta cried, "Kagome, you _have_ to come see this!"

Kagome turned to look over her shoulder at her brother; however, she jumped when she felt Inuyasha's fingers gently tugging on her elbow, pulling her away from the threshold of his bedroom back towards the stair landing.

Inuyasha wanted to create some distance between the two of them and Miroku and Souta.

"One sec, Souta!" Kagome cried in response as Inuyasha dragged her away. Her puzzled and worried eyes met Inuyasha's and followed his lead in stepping closer to the stairs.

"Um," she cleared her throat to get her wits about her, "what's up, Inuyasha?

Standing in front of him, Kagome felt her cheeks go red when he didn't address her right away. He had asked her if he could talk to her, and now he wasn't saying anything? Kagome gripped the bannister tightly in frustration.

"So, Inuyasha," Kagome finally sighed, trying to take charge of the conversation in the growing discomfort she felt in the silence. "Are you finally going to apologize for the last two days?"

Inuyasha groaned and narrowed his eyes at her. "Look, I get your pissed alright? I had business to attend to—" Inuyasha's tone harshened at seeing Kagome roll her eyes at the excuse— "and it kept me occupied for a few days. I wasn't snubbing you, alright?"

Kagome scoffed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, it sure felt like you were ignoring me," Kagome grumbled, her cheeks turning pink as she angled her eyes away from him.

Inuyasha crossed his arms in frustration, causing his white t-shirt to strain across his pectorals. The gesture caused Kagome's heart to flutter. She couldn't look at him right now; she needed to focus on keeping her head on straight, not getting flustered or girly over how good he looked.

"Is that why you're acting so weird?" He accused with a raised eyebrow. "Because you think I ignored you for two days straight?"

"Well," Kagome started, flustered. She kept her eyes focused on the floor. "Sort of."

"Why would I ignore you?" Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow at her and the smug look on his face caused Kagome's cheeks to flush.

"I—I don't know," she stammered, her face warming. "You tell me; I don't know why you'd ignore me."

Inuyasha sighed and scratched at the back of his neck. This woman was confusing.

"Kagome, listen. I wasn't here, alright? I wasn't _ignoring_ you. I was out."

"Out where?"

Inuyasha's face grimaced in response to her question and Kagome herself flinched due to the unexpected response.

"I," Inuyasha paused then ran a frustrated hand down his face. "I can't tell you, Kagome. And before you start freaking out at me, it's not an easy thing for me to talk about, alright? I'm sorry you think I was being an asshole or whatever, but I can't tell you where I was. Just know that I wasn't here for the last two days."

Kagome stood perfectly still, unsure how to respond. Licking her lips she slowly nodded.

"When did you get back?"

"Early this afternoon."

Kagome's cheeks flushed. "Why did you have to leave?"

"I can't talk about that," Inuyasha groaned, turning his eyes away from her. "Please don't ask me, Kagome. I can't talk about it."

Kagome's cheeks puffed in frustration. Her eyebrows furrowed. "And you didn't think to tell me you were taking off for a few days?"

Inuyasha's eyes snapped back to hers, his mouth open in confusion. "And why would I have to tell you where I'm going? You're not my damn _babysitter_!"

Kagome felt her hairline brimming with sweat from how hot her face felt. "You slept in my bed with me!" Kagome shrieked in a hoarse whisper out of concern for others hearing their conversation. Her face was noticeably red. "We spend the night together and then you just disappear after being a bit of an asshole, Inuyasha. What was I supposed to think?"

Inuyasha's neck whiplashed at hearing Kagome verbally acknowledge their night together and also at her calling him an asshole. He could tell by looking at her she was both angry and uncomfortable, embarrassed even.

"Kagome, look, I—"

"—I don't want to hear excuses, Inuyasha," Kagome interrupted, her tone softening. "I'm glad to hear you weren't ignoring me, and I feel stupid for bringing it up. I just," she shook her head and licked her lips, "I just want to go back to my brother. I'll see you around."

Kagome couldn't handle how embarrassed she felt right at that moment. She had acknowledged that glimpse into their intimacy and putting it out there into the open made her feel like an idiot. All that running earlier in the day, all that self-talk and support from Sango, all down the drain in one five minute conversation with Inuyasha. She hated how she had feelings for him then. She didn't want to like him.

He was clearly hiding something from her and she had no interest in giving herself to someone who would give her nothing in return.

Before Kagome could turn on her heel, Inuyasha grabbed for her hand, squeezing her fingers tightly in his fist.

"Inuyasha, let go!" She cried. "You're hurting me."

Inuyasha pulled Kagome towards him, fearful that she was going to leave him standing there, looking like an idiot. He wanted their conversation to make things better, not make things worse.

"I'm not allowing you to leave when you're still mad at me."

Kagome huffed. "You can't tell me what to do!"

"Yes, I can," he childishly retorted still clinging to her fingers despite her trying to shake him off. "It's my house, my rules!"

"That doesn't give you the right to man-handle me! Let me go!"

Inuyasha pulled a struggling Kagome closer to him. She refused to look at him. How was it possible that her body was enjoying this? Her heart was beating furiously. Why was her brain so focused on the fact that he willfully grabbed her hand and won't let it go.

Kagome's body betrayed her then; her mind and her body were at odds.

As Inuyasha tried to reel in a hostile Kagome, he leaned his body against the stair-rail post to stabilize his body. Giving one final tug, Kagome sprung into his chest, her eyes wide in surprise.

"Are you kid—"

Kagome couldn't get another syllable out before Inuyasha's lips came crashing down onto hers.

The feeling of her warm body meeting his chest was the nail in the coffin. Without thinking, without caring, Inuyasha felt her warmth, her shaking body, and he needed to have her. He hadn't realized how wholly and physically he craved her.

Silencing her with his lips, Inuyasha grasped her cheek in his palm and groaned into her mouth. Like she forgot they had been arguing, Kagome echoed his moan and let herself be kissed, to kiss him in return.

Kagome balled her fists into the material of his t-shirt above his chest and pulled their bodies closer. She could feel his hardened chest against her tightly-bound breasts contained within her sports bra, the joint of his knee indenting the inside of her thighs.

"Inuyash—" Kagome moaned into his mouth as he gripped her bottom lip between his teeth and bit down gently.

When the wet warmth of his lips captured hers once again, Kagome pressed her body flatly against the length of him. His tongue licked at hers. Kagome swallowed a mouthful of saliva, gasping for breath, and entwined her hands around his neck. At the gesture, Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her midriff and pulled her even tighter against him. Kagome's lips broke from his with a gasp as her erotic brown orbs met his aroused gaze.

"Fuck, I missed you, Kagome," he hissed against her lips. His breath felt cold against her moist, swollen lips and it caused her to shudder.

"I missed you too," she muttered back before his lips netted hers once more.

She presented no resistance to his hands on her hips or his tongue snaking and probing into her mouth, licking her, tasting her. God, how could she have possibly forgotten how good he tasted?

Inuyasha was lost in his need. His hands roamed helplessly across her back. He gripped her shoulders, palmed her hips as he ground himself against her—feeling her gasp and push her breasts into her chest—and finally, he couldn't contain his ravenousness anymore. With one final groan of his name on her lips, Inuyasha sunk his hands into Kagome's cushioned, sumptuous ass, and he lifted her to his waist.

He was done with lowering himself to her level, despite her being on her tip-toes. Inuyasha wanted her as his equal.

Kagome's panting in his mouth in response to the gesture caused Inuyasha's penis to throb in need. When she dutifully wrapped her yoga-pant-clad legs around Inuyasha's waist, he turned them so her bum rested on the bannister.

"Fuck, Kagome," Inuyasha murmured into her lips, into her jaw, into her neck as he trailed his kisses and his tongue lower.

He heard her barely audible _oh my God_ as he bit and sucked at her shoulder.

Inuyasha groaned as Kagome fisted her hands in his hair, her finger pads massaging his scalp. Inuyasha groaned and cupped her ass, pockmarking her cheeks with his fingers.

Kagome gasped and bucked into his body.

"I could take you right here," he growled into her neck.

"No," she gasped almost immediately in response.

The abruptness and the passion of her 'no' caused Inuyasha to remove his lips from her flushed and slightly salty skin.

"No?" he questioned, trying to hide the hurt in his tone. Whether he thought it was possible or not, his heart started pounding even more noticeably; however, this time it was from fear that she was denying him, that she didn't want him.

"Too public," she cooed, nuzzling his jawline with her nose and placing gentle, tongue-tipped kisses down his Adam's apple.

Inuyasha's cock flexed autonomously at her words and he wrapped his hand around her neck and crushed her lips with his. Kagome's hands left Inuyasha's hair and traced his shoulders, groaning into Inuyasha's mouth at the sensation of the hardened, defined muscles under her gentle touch. As their lips danced and tongues entwined, Kagome's palms trailed across Inuyasha's collarbone, down his pectorals, across his taut nipples, and traced the tips of her nails down his abs.

Inuyasha flinched and slightly withdrew from the kiss, laughing into her mouth.

"No tickling," he chided devilishly. "You don't want to start something you won't win."

Kagome smirked against his reddened lips and placed a chaste kiss onto his bottom lip, followed by her tongue. "That's what you think."

Inuyasha growled and devoured her mouth again. Meanwhile, Kagome continued her fingered exploration of Inuyasha's chest. Running her palms slowly up from his abdomen, Kagome's hands rested on Inuyasha's pecs. She scratched her nails against the white material of his t-shirt and Inuyasha growled into her mouth. Kagome smiled, pleased at herself, for feeling the grumbling in his chest in response. Kagome continued to cup her palms, and draw her fingers over, Inuyasha's pecs, intentionally coming teasingly close to his nipples but only gesturing as close as the areola.

"You know," he clucked against her neck, biting and sucking at a mound of skin. "It's not fair if I can't do that too."

"Too public," Kagome whispered in response in between kisses.

Inuyasha chuckled. "But it's not too public to cup that gorgeous ass?"

Kagome squeaked in response to Inuyasha's taking a handful.

The break in their kissing for banter caused Kagome to feel a rush of panic in her chest. She knew that the teasing and the pre-foreplay were only going to lead them to one thing…And it also didn't help that Inuyasha's room was the closest room to them currently.

And it also didn't help that yes, Kagome may have… _groomed_ …that morning, but she was a sweaty, _sweaty_ mess. There was no way in hell she could allow herself to undress with Inuyasha in her current state.

While Inuyasha continued to bite, suck, and nibble on her neck and shoulders, Kagome's eyes rolled back and her brain struggled to continue its thought process. In between states, Kagome wasn't in control of her lips when the word 'shower' slipped out.

Inuyasha clenched Kagome's ass and ground her against him so she could feel his erection against the apex of her yoga pants. Kagome had to meld her mouth to Inuyasha's to prevent the cry of pleasure that dared to escape her lips.

"Dirty girl," Inuyasha cooed against her lips, trailing her swollen pillows with his tongue.

Before Kagome could respond verbally, Inuyasha lifted her off the railing, grabbed her hand, and pulled her along after him as he sped off down the hallway. Kagome cried out in surprise when Inuyasha drew her into an empty bedroom and shut the door behind them. Reaching for Kagome's waist, Inuyasha lured her towards him until her breasts were pressed against his chest, her eyes looking up at him in expectation.

"I'm going to kick those two out of my room," he stated with conviction, trailing his knuckles down her cheekbone. "There will be the most privacy in my ensuite."

Before Kagome could refute or argue, Inuyasha had whipped open the door and disappeared from her sight.

Kagome's breast was quaking with her thudding heart and she pensively brought a thumb to her teeth. She began to pace. She could feel her vaginal lips moistening with discharge from the intensity of her arousal. In her heightened state, Kagome placed her hands on her hips and kept her eyes focused directly in front of her.

Somehow, her brain couldn't stop repeating, _this is happening, this is really happening_.

When Inuyasha reappeared, what may have been only one or two minutes later, he grabbed her hand in his and pulled her towards his room. She wasn't given an opportunity to express the reservation she had experienced earlier about entering his room. She was whisked in and the door shut and locked within seconds. Kagome cried out a gasp as Inuyasha pressed her up against his door and trapped her body with his.

"You smell so good, Kagome," he purred into her neck, licking the area underneath her chin.

Kagome laughed and shook her head, pressing her hands against his chest. "That can't possibly be true," she countered with a laugh. When Inuyasha continued his assault of lapping at her neck, Kagome cupped her hands around his neck.

"Please, Inuyasha," Kagome felt herself utter with closed eyes, "before we go any further, I really want to shower."

Inuyasha raised his head to meet her eyes and the pooling of gold and lust that met her eye made another surge of wetness pool between her legs. She didn't think there had ever been a time she was this wet for a man.

"Don't think I forgot, Kagome."

Without a word more, Inuyasha grabbed hold of Kagome's hand and led her across his room—which Kagome saw as a grey and white blur—and into his ensuite bathroom.

Closing the door behind them, Kagome met Inuyasha's eye and felt certain her heart was about to leap from her chest cavity.

"Shower or Jacuzzi?"

Words were impossible then as Inuyasha enveloped his hands in Kagome's hair and kissed her with such passion she didn't realize he had backed her up into the vanity. Kagome could feel the cold of the dark granite against her ass through her yoga pants.

"Executive decision," Inuyasha growled as he sucked Kagome's bottom lip into his mouth and circled the flesh with his tongue. "I want the Jacuzzi."

Suddenly Kagome was standing alone, her cheeks flushed, her heart racing, and her panties cold from wetness. Pressing her palms against the speckled granite in hopes it would help her relax, Kagome watched as Inuyasha took several steps away from her and leaned forward to turn on the taps. The sound of surging water accosted Kagome's ears and it brought her mind to the reality of what was happening.

She felt excited. She felt terrified. She felt anxious. She felt stimulated. She wanted him so badly.

While Kagome was absorbed in thoughts fantasizing about Inuyasha's naked body, she jumped when she felt the palm of his hand trail her stomach.

"Sorry," he laughed, "I didn't mean to scare you."

She smiled at him and shook her head as if to tell him it was fine.

Standing in front of her, Inuyasha reached upwards and carefully, gently, and after a considerable time because he didn't want to hurt her, removed the elastic band from Kagome's hair. Her kinked trusses tumbled to her shoulders, sweeping her cheeks and tickling her shoulders. Growling his pleasure, Inuyasha swept her locks away from her neck and hovered his lips above her neck.

The sound of the rushing tub water and her beating heart were deafening.

Feeling Inuyasha's fingers toying the hem of her shirt, Kagome's heart felt like it jolted with a sudden burst of electricity.

"Off," Inuyasha hissed into her ear, gripping the material of her shirt in his fist and simultaneously taking her lobe into his mouth and breathing huskily into the organ. Kagome's body erupted in a shiver.

Feeling the tickling caresses of Inuyasha's fingers against the naked flesh of her stomach, Kagome placed her hands on top of his to stop the motion.

"I have a favour to ask."

"I'm listening," Inuyasha called, continuing to trail kisses along Kagome's jawline.

"Do you have to do that while I'm," Kagome lost her train of thought to a sultry inhale as Inuyasha trailed the outline of her other ear with his tongue, "talking?" she was finally able to conclude.

"Yes," he raspingly cooed into her ear, following the answer by kissing her earlobe.

Kagome licked her lips and shut her eyes, loving the feeling of Inuyasha's warm palms rubbing along the small of her back.

"Can we," she stopped to groan as Inuyasha melded his hands into her ass once more, "bubble bath?" she settled.

Inuyasha laughed. "Are we children?"

"Please, Inuyasha," Kagome stated. She was careful to ensure it wasn't a question.

Inuyasha sighed and caressed his thumb across her cheek. "I don't have bubble bath but I can turn the jets on."

"Will the water be," Kagome stopped to gulp, "translucent?"

Inuyasha smiled knowingly at Kagome and her evident shyness at Inuyasha's seeing her body.

"Not when the jets are on max."

Kagome nodded and angled her head up so Inuyasha's lips could meet hers.

The kiss was shortened by Inuyasha leaving to turn the water off. Kagome felt her cheeks redden at hearing the whoosh of the jets coming to life. Kagome watched as the water frothed with white peaks and bubbles.

When Inuyasha returned to her, he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Ready?"

Kagome licked her lips. "Can I ask another favour?"

Inuyasha smirked. "What's that?"

Kagome gulped. "Can you turn around while I get in?"

Inuyasha placed a gentle kiss on her lips and then detached himself from Kagome to meet her flustered gaze. He lifted her chin with his thumb and forefinger. His gaze was electrifying.

"Let me undress you."

Kagome could have died from the dripping, gorgeous sex of the words Inuyasha just uttered to her. Her eyes trapped in his, she felt her brown eyes quake in response to the need in his voice. She had to take a second to get her wits about her again. She was so lost to her hormones and how badly she wanted Inuyasha, it took her a second longer to recall the reason in the first place why she wanted to bathe.

"Please, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha leaned his head away to leave some space between their faces and he raised his eyebrows at her in defeat.

"Fine," he sighed, to which Kagome happily squeaked and gave him a brief kiss on the lips in thank you for.

Taking a few steps to his right, Inuyasha crossed his arms and faced the dark brown cabinetry that housed towels and products. Closing his eyes, Inuyasha listened attentively to every sound of Kagome's movements, keen to identify what action accompanied the sound.

Soft, treaded footfalls turned into padded slaps of bare feet. She removed her socks.

The rustle of lycra whooshing across skin. She removed her pants (and panties?)

The swish of light material. The snap of a clasp being undone and the gentle splash of material on the floor. She removed her shirt and sports bra.

Inuyasha sucked in a ragged breath as his cock ached with need, pulsing against the constricting material of his jeans.

Inuyasha's ears perked at the sound of water breaking, wading.

"Holy shit, that's hot," Kagome cursed softly and it caused Inuyasha to smirk to himself and open his eyes. His nose shriveled at the reminder that he was facing the cabinet.

"Are you in yet?"

"Give me a second, it's boiling."

"Better hurry, I'll turn around."

"Don't you dare, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha chuckled and uncrossed his arms.

Hearing the final splosh and splatter of water and Kagome's gasping, Inuyasha gulped.

Kagome took in the sight of Inuyasha's strong back, his perfectly shaped ass, and her mounding breasts just barely peeking through the bubbling water. She watched the ends of her hair twirl around her shoulders and disappear from her line of sight below the frothing waves. In her shyness, Kagome intentionally positioned some of her hair in front of her breasts.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome nodded to herself that she was ready. She could barely contain her excitement, her nerves. This was really happening.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah."

The look on Inuyasha's face when he turned slowly to the image of Kagome's bare shoulders fading beneath the tumultuous water caused Kagome's mouth to dry. His look was appreciative, in awe, happy.

Kagome laughed uncomfortably and raised a hand from the water to tuck a strand of hair behind her ears.

Inuyasha took a few small steps towards her. His eyes never left the sight of her.

"You have no idea how good you look right now."

Kagome snorted a laugh and smiled. "You're just saying that because I'm naked in your bathtub."

Inuyasha laughed and cleared the distance between them, sitting down on the edge of the tub beside Kagome. Running his hand along the length of the back of her head, Inuyasha leaned down towards her. Using his other hand, he placed a finger under her chin to tilt her head back so her lips would meet his.

Inuyasha's fingers rounded the side of Kagome's neck while his tongue explored the not-so-estranged-yet-not-fully-discovered confines of her mouth. Kagome groaned into the kiss and reached her hand up from the water to cup Inuyasha's cheek.

Kagome opened her eyes when Inuyasha parted their lips. She watched him stand fully erect, and she blushed at being at the same eye level as the tightness in his jeans.

Kagome sucked on her bottom lip as they kept their eyes locked while Inuyasha slowly raised his white t-shirt over his head and discarded the item on the floor. Kagome only captured the sight of his bare chest and abs for a second. At the first sign of his nakedness, Kagome turned her head to face the gurgling water in front of her and she heard Inuyasha's chuckle round the Jacuzzi, followed by the jingling of his belt buckle.

Kagome impulsively tucked another strand of hair behind her ear as she listened to the erotic sounds of Inuyasha undressing. She didn't have the audacity or bravery to watch, especially since she figured he had no concerns with her seeing his body since he was undressing so publically. It's like he was daring her to watch.

Kagome's chest felt light from how rhythmically and steadily her heart pounded.

The sound of splitting water caused Kagome to close her eyes in expectation. Holding her breath, she listened to the sounds of Inuyasha's breathing as his naked body split the water and submerged to join her in the Jacuzzi tub.

"Kagome."

Kagome opened her eyes towards the water when she heard him call her name. She swore she was going to take off from the propulsion of her heart. Her nerves refused to allow her to divert her eyes from the sudsy water.

"Look at me."

Kagome slowly raised her eyes from the water to meet the eyes of the man she was falling for. She watched as he slowly waded his way towards her, his silver tresses cascading around his shoulders like an aura.

Stopping less than a metre away from her, Inuyasha reached for her and cupped his palm to her cheek. Kagome had to fight the urge to close her eyes from the intimacy of Inuyasha's thumb stroking her cheekbone.

While their eyes locked onto the others, Kagome's eyes crinkled into a smile, responding in a grin from Inuyasha.

He waded closer to her.

She could feel the skin of his chest teasingly close to the sensitivity of her erect nipples, the nubs aching to be fondled, sucked, bitten.

Reading the readiness in her eyes, Inuyasha finally closed the distance between their bodies. A pleasing hiss escaped between his teeth as his chest parted Kagome's naked breasts to seal their sternums together. Kagome gasped at the pleasure of having her breasts touched.

Their embrace lasted for a while, neither of them daring to speak or move. Both of them savouring the intimacy of their embrace.

"Hi," Inuyasha grinned at her in a whisper, ready to move forward from their moment of silence. He could hear Kagome's panting breaths as he nuzzled her nose with his. His thumb continued to stroke her cheekbone. Kagome gulped and fought the urge to close her eyes at the sensation of her breasts bobbing against Inuyasha's chest with every breath.

"Hi," she responded.

And then he kissed her.


	21. Like Lovers Do

**Author's Note**

FYI - This chapter contains mature subject matter.

* * *

 **Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Like Lovers Do_

* * *

Kagome's heart was racing; this was really happening.

Those really were Inuyasha's hands in her hair. Those really were Inuyasha's lips sucking on her neck. Those really were his teeth dragging across her puckered flesh and denting into her shoulder; she had never known how much she enjoyed being bitten.

Kneeling over her, that really was his knee pressed up against the folds of the most feminine part of Kagome's body. Her hardened, aching nipples really were chafing against his chest. Why wasn't he grabbing them? Why wasn't he touching her where her body ached to be touched? Kagome gulped, shutting her eyes, feeling the pulse of her vagina in the warm bath water.

 _This can't be happening…_

That really was the head of his erect penis jabbing into the fleshy parts of her stomach. The long and thick cylindrical girth of his manhood really was sliding vertically along the length of her hip, dipping into her belly button, as their bodies lolled with the motions of the water.

 _Jesus fucking Christ, how_ big _is that thing?_

This was really happening.

Kagome felt like she couldn't breathe, like her body was about to combust within minutes. Squeezing her eyes, she counted the seconds until his hands would finally enclose around the mounds of her breasts and put her out of her misery. She sucked in an urgent breath as Inuyasha's teeth scraped against her neck.

His spine felt so warm and masculine underneath her waterlogged fingertips.

Kagome groaned and squeezed her eyes even tighter as Inuyasha adjusted his body. A jolt of energy ripped up her spine, causing her pulse to thud noticeably. She could feel his penis glans lingering across her stomach, and it caused her to gulp. Her body was hyperactively aware of every sensation and every touch of his erection. She could feel the tug of skin where the head connected to his shaft as he pushed himself against her, sealing their bodies. She wanted nothing more than to have that goliath bulk thrusting inside her, splitting her open.

But, at the same time, Kagome's heart wouldn't stop fluttering agonisingly. She was too familiar with the feeling of panic to allow it to linger, now, unnoticed.

For how long had she wanted to be with him like this? How many times had she pictured this moment? Being honest with herself, Kagome knew she was on edge. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the feelings of his hands on her shoulders, his breath on her ear, his cock prodding into her flesh as their bodies moved together. But, the physical and delicious feeling of his body wasn't enough to quiet her mind.

Her brain just wouldn't shut up.

She and Inuyasha were naked in a bathtub, their wet, exposed bodies pressed up against each other, with their sexual organs in contact with the other's body. This was what she had craved for months. She shouldn't be counting down the seconds to anything. She should be fully immersed in his body, absorbing the glorious sensations of the first touches of his manhood, memorizing the sounds of his husky groans of pleasure.

Kagome sucked in another breath as Inuyasha rested his palm on her upper thigh and leaned his weight onto it as he claimed her mouth with his. His knuckles tickled her hip.

Kagome opened her eyes and looked away, the feeling of anxiety dawning on her. Why wasn't she enjoying this like she had been? What changed?

The question was really a rhetorical one. She knew what the problem was: she didn't want the chase to end.

Sex was the destination; it was an achieved goal. She didn't want to be a sexual conquest that would allow the chemistry between her and Inuyasha to die or the excitement to fizzle. The thought of obtaining Inuyasha, set against his inaccessibility to her, was what excited her. How many past sexual relationships had ended in disappointment once Kagome gave into the sex? Nothing felt as exciting as the foreplay, as the endless firsts. And Kagome wanted to savour those firsts with Inuyasha. She had never wanted a man so badly, craved a man so wholly. She was terrified of what that next step would bring.

Despite how badly her body wanted him, and her brain wanted her body to want him, Kagome knew they needed to slow down; she wanted to slow down. Good things don't need to be rushed, she tried to convince herself.

Ultimately, Kagome couldn't enjoy herself because she was scared of what would happen between them after the sex. She was too fond of Inuyasha to risk everything just because she couldn't keep it in her pants.

"Inuyasha, wait," Kagome called into his hair as his tongue had just come in contact with her collarbone. Her fear sparked her to speak out.

Kagome's hands rushed to his jaw to escort his head to rise until his eyes were at the level of hers. The panic and uncertainty were legible in his gaze.

"What's wrong?"

Kagome couldn't help the small smile and breathy laugh that escaped her nostrils. She felt badly causing him worry, but she was secretly glad that she wasn't the only one experiencing panic. Her thumbs traced his jawline in hopes it would calm his anxieties.

"Nothing's wrong. I just," Kagome tried to gulp down saliva in her drying mouth, "I don't want to rush things between us. I'm," she sighed, allowing her shoulders to sag, "I'm really sorry, Inuyasha. I can't."

As Kagome spoke, Inuyasha's cheeks reddened. As the seconds passed, he grew noticeably more aware of how his exposed and eager genital organ was still touching her. Drifting backwards into the water he separated their bodies, giving them the space they needed to talk.

Inuyasha's heart was throbbing. Hadn't she been enjoying herself? Had he been too engrossed in how his body was responding to her that he failed to realize she wasn't enjoying herself? He thought he was taking things slow. Despite feeling the prod of her puckered nipples against his chest, Inuyasha hadn't just focused on suckling and biting her breasts like he wanted to. He wanted to respect slow. He wanted them to enjoy themselves. Being perfectly honest, he wanted her to beg for it. He wanted to tease, he wanted to keep her hungry for more. That whole time he could feel her pushing her chest out to him in need. He just couldn't give in to her just yet. Not yet.

But maybe 'not yet' made him miss a cue. Did he miss his chance to give her what she wanted? Maybe he had been too focused on what he wanted… Inuyasha suddenly felt like an asshole. He should have been aware that Kagome was unhappy.

"And what's rushing things, exactly?" He inwardly grimaced, feeling like an idiot, feeling badly for the coarseness of his tone. He felt simultaneously eager and afraid of her next words.

"Sex," she responded softly, almost inaudibly, after a delayed response. Her face was scorched red and her eyes automatically turned downward. Her humility felt suffocating. "This has been amazing," she cried with sudden alarm in her voice, raising her panicked, reassuring eyes to his. "Please don't misunderstand me, Inuyasha. I just…I'm not ready for us to take whatever this is to…to," she gulped, "to _that_ level. I feel awful for leading you on, Inuyasha. I'm really so—"

Inuyasha's scoffing interrupted her, causing Kagome's eyes to widen in alarm.

"Why didn't you say so earlier, stupid? Jesus, I don't think with my cock, Kagome. If you weren't ready for this you should have said so."

Kagome frowned, growing suddenly aware of how open her nakedness was. She didn't know if she should cover herself with her arms or what.

"Being," she flushed, her eyes lowering, "like _this_ with you isn't a problem, Inuyasha…" He smirked at the comment and cocked an eyebrow and it caused Kagome to bite her lip. "I mean, I like being like…like this with you. It's just—" when did her heart jump into her throat? "—Can we just hold off on the…the—"

"—The sex part," he concluded for her nonchalantly.

"For now," she completed. "There's just," she shook her head, feeling suddenly very vulnerable and stupid, "a lot going on, you know?"

Inuyasha sighed and waded closer towards Kagome to sit beside her in the tub. Kagome flinched at feeling his thigh touch hers, followed by his shoulder. The sound of Inuyasha's hand breaking through the water was loud in Kagome's ear and she turned to face him.

His knuckles gently caressed her cheekbone and Kagome reactively closed her eyes to the tenderness of the touch.

"There is a lot going on," he confirmed softly, "and I get it, Kagome. You don't need to apologize."

She sighed. "I just feel like a jerk for leading you on."

Inuyasha laughed in response, removing his hand from her cheek. Kagome frowned at the sudden loss of warmth. "We were both pretty active participants up to this point. Besides…"

The pause caused Kagome to turn and face him in question. She yelped quietly as his hand gripped her bicep to pull her closer to him. His lips were inches from hers. So was his chest to her re-hardening nipples.

"…I like now having confirmation of the effect I have on you, Kagome."

She gulped. "And what is that exactly?"

The smirk Inuyasha gave her caused her Kegel muscles to flex. The look in her eye and her timid gulp of saliva was the only evidence he needed to support his assertion.

"I think I make you really," he huskily whispered, leaning towards her face, "really," he kissed her cheek, "really," he bit her chin, "really," he licked along her bottom lip causing a shiver to erupt down her spine, "really wet."

Kagome groaned at his words and responsively raised her head to give him access to her jugular. Inuyasha's lips happily accepted the tribute. The whimper that reverberated underneath his lips where he kissed her caused his cock to lunge upwards in need.

"Yeah, well," she croaked, trying to play it cool, "I can tell you like me too."

Inuyasha's lips broke from her skin as a laugh skirted through them. "What gave that away, I wonder?"

Kagome smiled flirtatiously and gave his lips a quick kiss. "Hmm," she coyly bemused, turning her eyes to gaze low to where she believed his penis would have been below the water, "I wonder what indeed."

A bellow burst out of Inuyasha's mouth and he shook his head at her. Two minutes ago, she had given him the impression that she wanted out of this situation, out of the tub, away from him. Now? The little vixen was working him up again.

 _What a fucking tease_ …his brain lurched; his cock nodded in agreement.

Inuyasha released his grip on Kagome's shoulders and waded away from her to the other side of the tub. Kagome peaked around his shoulders in curiosity and smiled knowingly when she saw him return with two bottles in his hands, one white and one purple.

"Dip your hair back," he ordered, his tone smooth and broad.

She raised questioning eyebrows at him. "Why?"

"Just do it," he stated with an intensified, authoritative tone.

Kagome rolled her eyes and turned her back to him. Slowly leaning backwards—her wrists carefully stationed over her breasts—Kagome tilted her head backwards until the warm shock of the heated water tickled her scalp. Raising herself up from the water, she turned to face Inuyasha, trickles and puddles of water painting her skin.

"Do it again."

Kagome wiped a bead of water off her nose and frowned at him.

"Don't argue with me, Kagome," he barked before she could refute him. "Do it again."

Kagome groaned audibly and repeated the gesture, this time rising herself from the water with a splashing suction sound as her hair whipped against her back.

"There. Good enough?" she debated hotly.

Inuyasha smiled cheekily, holding the bottles in his hands. "Now turn around."

Kagome sighed and angled her head at him. Seeing the imposing expression on his face, she raised her hands in a sign of defeat and turned her back to him slowly. She could hear the sounds of him moving behind her and feel the little waves against her body that his movements caused.

"I don't trust you back there," she laughed after a silent moment, squeezing her hands into fists in anticipation.

A low chuckle from him was the only response she received.

She felt her body jolt slightly from the snap of the bottle's lid being opened. She wanted to turn to look over her shoulder but, if she knew Inuyasha as well as she thought she did, she knew he would just tell her off for peaking. So, Kagome faced forward, unable to hide the curved smile that snaked from the corner of her mouth.

When Kagome finally felt the rough pressure of Inuyasha's fingers on her scalp, she moaned her pleasure audibly. Unbeknownst to her, the whimpering sound that escaped her was enough to make Inuyasha's cock solid.

The pleasing scent of floral and earth met Kagome's nose as she closed her eyes while Inuyasha's fingers worked up a lather. She lowered her body further into the water until her shoulders were barely peeking through the jetted suds. Inuyasha massaged his fingers in small circular motions around her ears, increasing the pressure at the base of her skull and softening his touch across her temples.

"That feels incredible," she cooed through tightened lips. The relaxation and pleasure in her voice caused Inuyasha to smirk smugly.

A few minutes later, when Inuyasha told her to dunk her head under the water to rinse off, Kagome wanted to cry out against the idea. Inuyasha's fingers kneading her scalp had been one of the most comforting and erogenous feelings she had ever experienced. She had never had a man wash her hair before. She simultaneously wanted to sleep and jump his bones.

When Kagome emerged from the water and wiped the drips from her forehead and nose, Kagome turned to face him smiling.

"That felt really, _really_ good."

Inuyasha smirked at her again, loving the sight of her saturated raven locks glued to her body. "Turn around."

She made a face at him, laughing. "What now?"

He put his hands on her shoulders in an effort to rotate her himself. "Don't make me repeat myself."

"Alright, alright," she laughed, turning around the rest of the way, "bossy."

The sound of another cap opening caused Kagome's face to light up with an expectant smile.

 _Hair conditioner_ , her brain squealed, delighted at the thought of more attention from Inuyasha's masculine fingers on her scalp.

However, when Inuyasha's rough and garrulously masculine hands enclosed on her shoulders and neck, Kagome groaned and leaned her head forwards. Collecting her hair into her hands and draping it over her shoulder, Kagome wanted to give Inuyasha all the space he needed to have his way with massaging her neck and shoulders.

At hearing her moan and watching her body rock with the motion of his attentions, a snigger snuck through his teeth.

"Does that feel good, Kagome?"

"No," she lied, shaking her head.

"Oh, that's too bad," he chuckled, playing along. "Let me fix that."

Working his soap-covered palms and fingertips into her shoulder blades, Kagome closed her mouth in hopes it would hide the groan that collected in her throat. How was he so good with his hands?

Inuyasha could feel himself getting hard at the welcome sight of his hands caressing and fondling Kagome's naked skin. How was it that the sight of her wetted and glistening spine was enough to make his mouth dry with need? Not to mention how soft and welcoming she felt underneath his hands.

With her back being this soft to the touch, it made him wonder how other parts of her would feel.

Working his knuckles down her spine, Inuyasha felt Kagome shift under his touch and straighten slightly. Feeling Kagome writhe a little bit more, Inuyasha gentled his touch, unsure of what her movements meant.

"Can you actually go just a little bit lower and to the right? My lower back is kinda sore."

"Where?" he asked, happy to allow his hands a further exploration of her back, regardless of the fact that there was no more soap on his hands. "Right here?"

Kagome shifted slightly, his knuckles kneading into her back just above her tailbone.

Oh, how badly she wanted him to divert his course and just cup her ass like he had earlier…

"Oh!" she gasped, her eyes flying open. "Yes, ow, right there. That feels good but it also kind of hurts." She laughed.

Inuyasha mimicked the laugh. "Do you want me to stop?"

"Don't you dare," Kagome cried, almost interrupting him. His fingers were massaging and rolling slightly above her hips and it felt divine. "That feels really good."

 _I can give you something else that feels really good_ , he thought to himself, continuing his ministrations on Kagome's back.

Reaching around her back, Kagome grabbed hold of Inuyasha's wrists and turned her body so she was facing him, a smile on her face.

"I thought that felt good."

"It did."

He raised an eyebrow. "So, why stop me then?"

"It's my turn," she smiled.

Inuyasha raised a cocky eyebrow at her. "Oh, you think so?"

"Yes, I do think so. Give me the soap."

"I can wash my own hair."

"I'm not going to wash your hair."

"Are you going to wash the rest of me, Kagome?" Inuyasha smirked. "Am I a dirty boy?"

Kagome smacked his bicep in response, giving him an unimpressed look. "Don't start," she replied trying to stifle her smile, "just relinquish the soap."

"Alriiiight," Inuyasha quipped, his tone laced with incredulity. He handed over the bottle and she snatched it out of his hand.

"Okay," she said with determination, flicking the lip open with her thumbs. "Turn around and I'll start on your back."

"Start on my back, eh?" he smirked. "Where will you end?"

Kagome's cheeks flushed and she smacked him again. "That's enough out of you. Turn around."

Inuyasha grinned. "I don't think I will."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't be difficult, Inuyasha. You washed my back and now I'm going to wash yours."

"Yes, but I wasn't the one who wanted to bathe in the first place, _dirty girl_."

Kagome's cheeks flushed a brilliant crimson and she splashed a gob of creamy liquid into her hand, placing the bottle on the edge of the tub.

"Shut up, Inuyasha," she laughed. "Will you stop being difficult and turn around?"

"No."

Kagome sighed and started working her hands into a lather. Inuyasha's eyes autonomously dipped to watch the bounce in her cleavage from the motions. It caused a hungry growl in his groin.

"Fine, be stubborn," she spat, smacking her soap-covered hands together. "I'll start on your front then."

Kagome tried to ignore the devilish grin on Inuyasha's face as her palms met the hot flesh of Inuyasha's chest. She had no idea when she had become so bold or brazened around him; however, the anxiety or insecurity she had felt momentarily now flickered and completely disappeared.

Now, she was feeling playful.

"My, what big muscles you have," she gasped in a heightened feminine tone as her slender fingers followed the curve of his shoulders and triceps.

"All the better to impress you with, my dear."

Kagome laughed at the response, stifling a giggle in her stomach at the rush of keenness she felt from Inuyasha's playing along.

She would never have thought any of this would happen. An arousing make-out session, turned foreplay, turned bath-time playtime? But, she had to admit though…this bath-time was turning into something really hot and sexy. Particularly as Inuyasha's rippling muscles shone with the efforts of her lathering and his erect nipples jutted through the soapy attention she paid to his chest.

"Holy," she continued, massaging her fingers into his neck and shoulders, "you're really tight, Inuyasha." Kagome's face grimaced as her fingers worked into his muscles, her digits aching from the pressure of her actions.

Tilting her head to the side and admiring the feel and sight of his body, Kagome made gentle her pressure on his body as she felt her arousal peaking once more.

How could he possibly make her feel this way?

She started the day hating him. Then, she saw him through the pool-house's reflective glass and she wanted him. Then, she went back to hating him. Then, they were arguing and she really couldn't stand him. Then, he annoyed her. Then, she wanted him so badly she thought she would burst. Now, she was just in awe of him.

She had this beautiful man in front of her who could be so genuine and sweet, but who turned sour at the drop of a hat. She couldn't read him at all. She thought he was going to be pissed at her for changing her mind about sleeping with him. But, this? Washing each other? It was so intimate; it was the type of things lovers do. Kagome flushed with the thought.

Absentmindedly, Kagome's thoughts had taken over the majority of her brain to the point that her fingers were robotically stroking Inuyasha's pecs. Kagome snapped out of her thoughts at the feeling of Inuyasha's warm, saturated fingers covering hers.

"What's wrong?"

"Hmm?" Kagome responded, looking up to meet his eyes. "Oh, nothing," she flushed. "Sorry, I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"You," she smiled softly with closed eyes.

Inuyasha returned the smile. "Anything good?"

She laughed and removed her hands from his chest. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Are you thinking you'd like to get out?"

Kagome sighed, not wanting to admit that there existed a world outside of this tub. A part of her resented Inuyasha for reminding her that there was a reality beyond his ensuite.

"I'm not really done bathing," she replied distractedly, her eyes landing on the soap bottle.

Inuyasha smirked, not missing a beat. "Did I miss a spot?"

Kagome laughed, gripping the bottle in both hands. "Very funny." A blush tinted the cartilage of her nose. "Think I could get you to turn around while I finish up?"

Inuyasha took a step closer to her and it caused Kagome to back up into the side of the tub with a silent _oof_.

"Why would I want to do that?"

"Uhh," Kagome trailed, her brain slowing down at the sight of the hunger in his eyes, "because I asked you nicely?"

"I don't half-ass my work, Kagome."

"Oh…kay…"

"Give me the soap bottle."

Kagome cupped the bottle to her chest, feeling the cool plastic in the valley between her breasts. "I can do it," she argued, her heart fluttering in her chest.

Inuyasha took another step closer to her. "Give me the bottle, Kagome."

"Why?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed playfully, lustfully. "You know why."

She gulped. "No, I don't. Tell me."

"I'm going to finish the job."

She licked her bottom lip, her racing heart noticeable throughout her chest and upper torso. "What job?"

Inuyasha smirked and leaned closer to her. She could feel his warm breath on her face. "You know what job."

"Tell me."

Inuyasha captured the gasp that Kagome released when his mouth crushed against hers. His tongue teasingly prodded and licked at the insides of her mouth, their tongues wrestling in an intimate power struggle.

Inuyasha ended the kiss with a loud gasp from Kagome, her lips red and swollen and her eyes glazing with lust.

"I'm going to finish washing your body, Kagome. Give me," he paused to suck on her lower lip, releasing it with a loud smack, "the bottle."

"Okay," she uttered so softly she barely mouthed the word.

Closing her eyes, Kagome could feel her heart beating in every limb and throughout her core. The pulse caused her womanhood to ache. The moments that lingered where Inuyasha separated his body from hers felt like the longest moments of her life. The flick of the bottle lid caused her to open her eyes in alarm; however, the alarm slowly melted into excitement as she caught Inuyasha's eye and watched him lather his hands together.

He started on her shoulders.

Despite the attention he had previously paid to her upper body, Kagome still couldn't help the groan that escaped her lips. He _really_ was good with hands. The moans of appreciation caused a chuckle to curdle in his throat. She couldn't believe how much he was enjoying this.

Kagome's eyes flew open in alarm when she felt Inuyasha spinning her so her back was pressed against his chest. She felt a rumbling in his chest as he growled, his erection stroking her buttocks. The feeling caused Kagome to lose herself to a moment of nostalgia, taking her back to that night at Kobura when they had danced, when she had felt Inuyasha's erection fall into the crevice of her buttocks. However, now, there was no sequin tube or pants separating their bodies. His cock was hard with need, nestled into the cleft of her lower torso, and she could feel it all. She could undeniably feel his need for her.

"I didn't realize," she gasped when his lips met the side of her neck, "how much you liked baths."

Inuyasha moved her wet locks to drape over her other shoulder and he smiled against her shoulder.

"You should see how much I like my bed."

Kagome laughed in response; however, her laughter slowly turned into a moan as Inuyasha's lips hoovered a mass of her neck into his mouth and he sucked on it slowly, pulsing the flesh in between his teeth and squeezing with his lips. It felt divine.

Kagome rested her head against his collarbone, angling herself so her head was tucked slightly underneath his chin. Closing her eyes, she felt her body lean with his, followed by the clasp of the bottle lid and the slurping sounds of lathering soap between his hands.

Kagome sighed as his hands rubbed up and down her arms rhythmically, dipping into the water to reach her wrists, squeezing her fingers, and trailing tickling streams of water down her biceps when his hands emerged from the water to continue the streak. Massaging the soap into her shoulders, Kagome felt her breath hitch as Inuyasha's hands trailed across her collarbone, cupping her neck gently. The feeling of his cock nestled against her ass and his hands wrapped around her throat caused Kagome's mind to wonder if Inuyasha was the kind of lover who would get off on choking her. However, the thought was gone moments later when his ministrations returned to her shoulders.

"Your body feels incredible, Kagome."

Kagome released a breathy sigh through her nose in response and simply nodded, words failing her.

Noticing her failure to reply, Inuyasha kissed the top of her head as he continue to motion his hands across her chest above her cleavage.

"Does that feel good, Kagome?"

"Mhmm," she sighed, turning her head to face his neck. The earthy smell of the soap, mixed with the scent of Inuyasha, invaded her senses. She wanted this moment to last forever.

"Use your words," he instructed as he traced his index and middle fingers below the waterline to caress the valley between her breasts. It caused Kagome to gasp. "Does that feel good?"

"Yes," she responded hoarsely, her heart racing at the premise of what was to come next. The pads of his fingers felt large as he stroked her sternum. The feeling of his two fingers pressed intentionally against her body caused her mind to rush to where else he could put those fingers.

When he detached his fingers from her skin, Kagome groaned slightly, opening her eyes to watch him dollop more soap into his palm. Returning his ministrations to her sternum, Kagome settled her head back against his neck.

Inuyasha's penis lurched against her buttocks as he bucked against her slightly, a hoarse exhale leaving his lips. It signalled to Kagome that he had thought about something, that something was about to happen. However, Kagome's brain went blank with white noise when Inuyasha's palms finally, _finally_ enclosed greedily upon her breasts.

 _Ah, so that's what he was thinking about..._

"Oh _God_ ," Kagome cried, throwing her head back onto Inuyasha's shoulder.

His fingers made claws into the flesh as he squeezed and kneaded her mounds, her hardened nipples poking out between his fingers. Thanks to the water jets, Inuyasha begrudgingly couldn't observe the sexiness of his fondling Kagome's breasts. Closing his eyes, he had to translate the things he felt to a mental image. His fingers rounding the puckered flesh of her speckled areola, Inuyasha stroked the circumference of her breasts like brail.

"So dirty," Inuyasha whispered into her hair as he ground his hips into her and forced her breasts together, then compressing them under his rough hands and moulding them together above her sternum, his knuckles knocking together.

Encouraged by her moans of pleasure, Inuyasha circled her right nipple with the palm of his hand, feeling her writhe and wriggle within his arms and against his body. Oh, the things he wanted to do to her...

Gripping her right nipple with his thumb and forefinger, Inuyasha plucked and stroked her teat, switching from aggressive to gentle fondling patterns. The nub turned red and ached with the vigour of his attention. Kagome craved to feel the hot warmth of his mouth on every pore of her body. As one would roll a pill pulled from a shirt, Inuyasha rolled Kagome's nipple between the pads of his thumb and forefinger, pinching her nipple and areola, causing Kagome to gasp while he continue to knead her other breast.

Inuyasha didn't play favourites.

"Your nipples are perfect, Kagome," he growled into the back of her head, and it caused Kagome to grind her ass backwards into Inuyasha. He met the force with a forward thrust of his own.

Kagome released a cry of disappointment when Inuyasha removed his hands to lean for the bottle of soap again. He could hear her sigh of indignation; however, he chuckled in response. He knew that once he had his hands on her she wouldn't want him to stop.

And he wasn't even close to being done.

Lathering his hands together, Inuyasha returned his attention to her chest, particularly the area above her cleavage and abused nipple. He could feel Kagome's writhing and knew it was because he was teasing her, but he always pegged her to be the kind of girl who liked the chase.

So chase he would.

Massaging his hands down the sides of Kagome's body, his palms caressed the sides of her breasts and gripped her waist. She felt so small and perfect beneath his hands, not fragile and breakable, but feminine. Every curve of her body screamed to be touched.

Inuyasha's erection bobbed as he moved and it stood rigid against Kagome's tailbone. Removing a hand from Kagome's body, he adjusted himself so he wasn't keeping his body separated by Kagome. He nestled himself snugly into the fissure of her buttocks and he growled approvingly. Kagome wriggled her ass against him in a gesture of approval, and Inuyasha shot his hands below the water to grip her hips. He wanted to hold her against him.

Feeling his hands so close to her womanhood, Kagome gasped and bucked her ass against him, only causing Inuyasha to dig his nails into her hips and pull her even closer towards him. If she wasn't so aroused, the indentation of his erection would likely have hurt her.

"What do you do to me, Inuyasha?" Kagome cried out when she felt his one hand cup her breast again as he laid an assault of kisses along her jawline. His other hand wouldn't leave her hip.

"Kagome, you have no idea how badly I—"

A sudden knock on the door caused Kagome to fling herself from Inuyasha's grasp and she gripped the edge of the tub as her heart raced. Her brain went quiet with white noise as every nerve on her body was on fire.

Even Inuyasha had to shake himself alert; and it took a second set of knocks before he felt composed enough to respond.

"What do you want?" Inuyasha barked coldly.

"Hey, uh, Inuyasha, do you know where my sister went?"

Kagome could feel Inuyasha's eyes on her back and she buried her face in her hands.

She completely forgot about Souta.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Ugh – I love writing their romance so much. One of the struggles I find with writing limes/lemons is making them genuinely believable, you know? Sometimes love and sex aren't pretty—it takes a lot to make this sort of chemistry between characters believable.

So? What do you think? Am I off to a good start?

Also – have I told you lately how beautiful, wonderful, and amazing you are? Oh, alright, you're onto me – I'm just trying to buy your love in order for you to review.

Did it work? Heh heh – shameless.


	22. Eavesdropper

**Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Eavesdropper_

* * *

The water lapped around Kagome's shoulders as Inuyasha emerged from the tub behind her. Her body was initially paralyzed by the shock, disbelief, and alarm of Souta's sudden appearance; however, the tumultuous warm breaks of water against her shoulders slowly snapped her out of it. Kagome's cheeks inflamed at the idea of a naked Inuyasha standing behind her and she shut her eyes, listening to his heavy footfalls on the ceramic tile.

"Uh—you still there, Inuyasha?"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you," he grumbled in response to Souta's hesitant question.

Kagome's face grew hotter at the sound of his belt buckle scraping against the hard floor, jingling as it flew into the air. After a few seconds of silence, Kagome's eyes grew wide with panic. The sudden quiet feeling loud in her ears, she licked her lips in alarm: silence meant the Jacuzzi's jets had been turned off.

Kagome's eyes quivered with anxiety.

The jets were off.

Inuyasha turned off the jets.

No jets meant…

Kagome inaudibly gasped and quickly drew her knees to her chest, bringing her forearms in front of her breasts and clasping her hands into a large fist in front of her neck. Despite the fact that Inuyasha had been having his way with her nipples not even five minutes ago, the sensuality of the moment had abruptly been shattered, and for him to see her naked now just felt…wrong.

Kagome turned her reddened face towards the water, listening to Inuyasha's frustrated grunts as he tried to dress himself quickly. Even the sounds of his dressing were erotic to Kagome's roused ears. Her entire head felt hot under the intensity of the flush on her face.

Hearing the zip of his pants' zipper, Kagome opened her eyes and turned to look in his direction, assessing the situation safe enough. He was shirtless with a white towel drooped around his shoulders and Kagome felt her belly somersault. The tips of his wet hair stuck to his biceps and shoulders and fawned around him as he bent over to pick up his shirt from the floor. When he stood fully erect, his chest still slightly beaded with water, his firm muscles wriggling underneath his skin with his movements, Kagome gulped. She couldn't believe she had had _that_ behind her, pressed up against her. The mere sight of Inuyasha's naked upper torso sent her spiraling into her arousal again. She almost couldn't fathom how one being could possibly be that handsome.

"Did you check her room?" Inuyasha shot out with an irritated tone, maddeningly running the towel through his wet locks.

Kagome turned embarrassed eyes down to stare at her kneecaps—visible through the stilling water—at Inuyasha's blatant lie to her sibling. She appreciated that Inuyasha was covering for her but the guilt was knotted in the base of her throat.

"Yeah," Souta called back hesitantly through the closed door. "She's been gone for a while. I'm kinda worried about her, Inuyasha. It's not like her just to take off like that. She said she'd just be a sec."

Kagome's shoulders felt heavy with shame and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes turned to Inuyasha and their gazes locked for a moment. Inuyasha raised unamused eyebrows at her before pulling his shirt over his head and climbing into it with both arms.

"It's Kagome," Inuyasha responded in an almost-chiding tone, "you're overreacting, kid."

"She's—uh—" The sudden silence behind the door caused Kagome's eyebrows to meet above her nose with curiosity. "Uh," Souta bumbled again, "not _in_ _there_ with you—uh—is she?"

Kagome clamped a fierce hand over her mouth to stop a horrified squeak from slipping out. Squeezing her eyes shut tightly she felt mortified. The silence that hung after Souta's question made Kagome want to slip under the bath water and never come out again.

Thankfully, Inuyasha didn't let the silence linger too longer and he responded to Souta's question with an over-the-top laugh.

"Yeah, right! Good one!" he shot out, suddenly tossing a thick black housecoat in Kagome's direction. It landed in a heap on the floor within her arm's reach and her blushing cheeks met his gaze. "When we find Kagome, how about we tell her that you thought she followed me into the can while I took a dump? I'd love to see her reaction to that!"

Kagome covered her face with both hands, her mortification only growing. She wanted Inuyasha to leave so she could get out of the tub. She was desperate for this uncomfortable situation to end. Sure, Inuyasha's _excuse_ was a viable one to make Souta instantly apologize for the accusation, but it was something Kagome wished she hadn't heard. First Souta's unexpected—was unwanted too harsh of a word to use?—appearance, and now bathroom talk from Inuyasha? Kagome had fallen so heavily out of her arousal she felt lightheaded.

She could hear Souta awkwardly laughing behind the door in response to Inuyasha's obscene comment. She didn't know whether to be grateful or humiliated for Inuyasha's fabrication. Kagome covered her heated cheeks with her water-logged palms. The awkwardness she could overhear in Souta's voice certainly was a Higurashi family trait.

Inuyasha turned to face Kagome with his hand on the doorknob, a smirk teasingly present behind his eyes. Nodding at her once their eyes met, Inuyasha unlocked the door and quickly skirted his body through the slight opening.

The door closed behind him and Kagome heard the boisterous male voices disappearing into nothingness as she presumed they left Inuyasha's room. This left her in the stinging silence of Inuyasha's ensuite bathroom.

Kagome was quick to emerge from the water, pull the drain-stop, and step out of the tub while the drain greedily sucked the water down its pipe. Seeing that Inuyasha had left a towel out on the countertop for her, she tiptoed across the cool tile and gripped the material in her hands, burying her face into the luxurious fabric. Raising her face to gaze at her appearance in the mirror, Kagome frowned fiercely.

A merlot-coloured hickey was on the side of her neck, right in the wedge of where her neck met her shoulders. Dropping the towel to her waist, Kagome leaned forward, closer to the mirror, to gingerly finger the mark, only to cast her eyes downwards to her breasts to realize how swollen and erect her one nipple was. The flesh was dark, unnaturally red, and taut from Inuyasha's abuse. Resting her hand around her breast, Kagome grimaced at the sensation of touching the abused areola. His fondling had made the flesh incredibly oversensitive.

How was she supposed to comfortably wear a bra now? Or leave here wearing her tank top because of that monstrous hickey thanks to Inuyasha?

Kagome's face reddened from anger; she could have killed him. How dare he mark her like that! Running her fingers across the slightly inflamed skin, she pouted. It was quite obviously not there before. She searched her brain for an excuse she could use—'I burned myself with my hair straightener,' 'I hit myself with my hairbrush'—however, the more she looked, the more she couldn't deny that it was quite obviously a hickey.

Groaning to herself while she finished drying off, Kagome turned to eye up the puddles of clothing that sat on the floor before her. She had the option of her dirty workout clothes or Inuyasha's housecoat, which he had tossed in her direction. It was clear that he had encouraged her to wear the housecoat; however, Kagome didn't know how to stomach that. Biting her bottom lip—swollen from the assault of Inuyasha's own lips and tongue—Kagome's eyes windshield-wipered from one pile of clothes to the next.

Breezing through a mental pro and con list, Kagome finally reached for the housecoat and swung it around her shoulders, pulling the collar close to her neck and tying the sash tightly around her waist. Appraising her image in the mirror, she determined she looked ridiculous; however, the material was insanely comfortable, wasn't _that_ chafing against her aggravated nipple, and the hickey wasn't visible.

So, she sighed, it certainly seemed to be the lesser of multiple evils.

Picking up her belongings and tucking them into the crook of her arm, Kagome leaned her ear into the bathroom door. She was eager to hear if anyone was around. Hearing nothing, she took a deep breath and quickly opened the door.

Standing alone in Inuyasha's bedroom felt a little surreal.

For someone with such a large personality, Kagome was shocked to see that his room was a little mundane. His furniture was a medium gray, grainy wood; his comforter and pillows were all various shades of grey although he only had four pillows—two king-sized cases and the two shams. There was a large, at least nine-foot-wide window covered with only one pull-down shade—also gray, Kagome noted. There were no pictures, no art decals, nothing fanciful. It was really quite plain. Kagome wouldn't have expected that from Inuyasha.

The other thing that seemed odd? The entire house had mementos, grandiose-framed relics of Inuyasha's celebrity and life achievements, particularly those with the band. His room held none of that. Knowing Inuyasha, Kagome felt positive it couldn't be due to any type of modesty. Other than the size of the room, Kagome would never have guessed that a world-famous, rich, bachelor lived here. It felt cold, simple, and empty.

"Oh, Kagome! There you are!"

The sudden call of Miroku's voice caused Kagome to jump and she turned to face Inuyasha's bedroom door with nostrils flared in fear. How on earth was she going to talk herself out of this one? The circumstances were incredibly incriminating. Her hairline began to sweat. Kagome could feel her heart pounding throughout her ribcage and up her throat.

"Miroku, listen, I—uh—this—uh—isn't what—"

"Sango said you two girls were talking by the pool when you fell in. I hope you weren't injured, but I'm glad to see you've changed into dry clothes."

 _Sango? What? What is he talking about?_

In her dazed state, Kagome let herself be led by Miroku out of Inuyasha's room. She stood in silent confusion as Miroku gently closed the door behind them. He turned to face Kagome with a closed-eye smile.

" _Sango_ sent me to come find you. She said you ran up here to change. I'm glad you took _Sango's_ suggestion to change into something more comfortable."

"Sango?" Kagome repeated, walking adjacently to Miroku as he led her down the hallway, his palm attached to her elbow. "But, that wasn't my room, and uh—I thought Sango was—"

"Yes, it was _Sango_ who told me where to find you."

Kagome's heart was pounding. "Sango did?"

"Yes," Miroku nodded, giving Kagome a knowing yet playful wink. " _Sango_ suggested I come find you to let you know that she's no longer in the pool-house and that you're welcome to go change in _your own_ room and meet everyone in the dining room once you're ready."

Kagome felt her stomach churn as she and Miroku walked down the stairs towards her bedroom. At first, she had been confused by what Miroku was saying to her, but his body language and tone gave it all away.

 _Sango_ was really Inuyasha. Miroku was covering for Kagome. He and Inuyasha had likely concocted for her this alibi while Inuyasha led Souta around on a fake _where could Kagome be?_ goose chase, meanwhile allowing Kagome an escape from Inuyasha's room. They were buying her time for the sake of her modesty.

Kagome didn't know whether to feel horrified or grateful.

"Do you need me to tell _Sango_ anything?"

Kagome blinked rapidly and gripped the doorframe to her bedroom tightly. "Uh—tell him—er—I mean _her_ thank you for me. Is Souta—?"

"—With Inuyasha, yes."

Kagome nodded appreciatively. Her cheeks still pink while her brain revved with thoughts like, _God only knows what Miroku thinks_ really _happened_.

"What about Sango— _er_ —the real Sango? Does she know about—"

"—I'm going to see her now," Miroku smiled with narrowed, knowing eyes. "We'll see you shortly for dinner?"

Kagome nodded and slowly slipped into her bedroom, closing the door while Miroku nodded his head at her and then turned away.

Resting her back and her head against the closed door, Kagome shut her eyes.

What a whirlwind of an afternoon.

Dropping Inuyasha's housecoat to the floor, Kagome walked over the dresser, adorned one of the Babydoll bralets and matching panties that Yura had picked out for her and then faced herself in the walk-in closet's mirror.

Tightly grabbing hold of a cover-up stick from her makeup table, Kagome uncapped the tube and immediately became fixated on doing what she could to hide the hickey. Focusing on this one activity meant she could try to shut her brain off to her encounter with Miroku just now, shut her brain off to what had just occurred between her and Inuyasha.

If she really thought about it, she could still feel the throb of his manhood against her stomach.

Kagome shook her head violently. Narrowing her eyes at her own reflection, she touched the stick of makeup to her neck.

Pouting as she caked circular streaks of the cosmetic on her neck, Kagome grew convinced of one thing: Inuyasha was going to pay for this.

* * *

Dinner was a rambunctious event.

Sango seemed to have temporarily forgiven Miroku. Souta seemed to have bought Kagome's _alibi_ , which thankfully no one else had brought up. Kagome was _finally_ able to get her brother to focus on talking about their family. Kaede, once again, outdid herself with the meal.

However, the thing that stuck out the most to Kagome was the fact that Inuyasha hadn't taken his eyes off of her all night.

Kagome had never felt so self-conscious about how she took a sip of wine, how she put a piece of chicken in her mouth, how she chewed, how she swallowed.

All night his spotlight amber orbs were steered across the table in her direction. Even when he was wrapped up in a conversation with the others around the table, Kagome wasn't oblivious to the way his eyes constantly turned to rest on her. Throughout the meal, she squirmed in her seat under the intensity of his gaze. She tried to wash down with wine the flurrying feeling in her stomach. However, he was still there, his eyes still focused, and it caused her skin to feel hot under his gaze.

 _He can't possibly think he's being subtle_ , she questioned, finishing her glass of wine.

Looking over the rim of her glass, she saw one of Inuyasha's canine teeth sneak out of his mouth in an angled, cheeky grin. The smirk made her grow self-conscious that maybe she hadn't done that great a job of covering up the large burgundy love-bite on her neck. Thankfully, though, no one else's eyes seemed to dip down to notice, despite the fact that Kagome felt it was a beacon screaming for everyone's attention.

When she turned her face away to try and engage herself in the others' conversation, Kagome could feel her nipple pulsing achingly from Inuyasha's earlier ministrations. As if his gaze could make her body respond to him on demand...

It almost felt surreal that no one but her and Inuyasha—despite maybe Miroku to some degree— _really_ knew what transpired between them that afternoon. The two of them had crossed a boundary leading God-only-knows-where. Kagome would have felt inclined to label it all as a dream; however, the hungry look of Inuyasha's eyes on her certainly squashed that thought. She couldn't recall ever having seen him look at her this way before. Or maybe she just hadn't paid close enough attention.

How was it she could feel her insides quaking with need just at the secretly public glances he cast her?

A couple of times throughout the dinner Kagome met his scrutiny, but her own returning gaze wouldn't last long and she would dash her eyes away, flustered. The three times this happened, Inuyasha coyly smirked in her direction, seemingly enjoying the audacity of her lingering stare. Unfortunately, for her, she didn't have the guts to maintain that eye contact for long. Especially since she didn't want the others around the table to be privy to that fact that something had happened between her and Inuyasha. It felt like she needed to protect that moment of intimacy the two of them shared, like it was so fragile that just acknowledging it would make it disappear. Trying to keep up with the conversation around the table, Kagome tried to keep her brain off the haunting question of what was now in store for their relationship. She also tried to stop being blaringly aware of Inuyasha's gaze in her peripheral vision.

Ripping a piece of chicken apart with her fingers, Kagome tuned into the conversation Souta was having with Sango and Kagome smiled as she momentarily lost herself into that world. Kagome remembered when conversations between the three of them were common occurrences at the Shrine when Kagome and Sango were still in high school. The nostalgia was breathtaking.

However, when Kagome's fingers were sliding in and out of her mouth as she placed the chicken on her tongue, sucking the juices from her fingertips, her eyes, like sentient beings, turned back to Inuyasha while her tongue lapped at her fingertip. Maybe she wanted to get under his skin, to make him feel as flustered as he made her feel, to take her passive revenge for the hickey. However, when she finally slid her finger between her lips and out of her mouth with an audible smack, Inuyasha's cheeks coloured slightly and he broke eye contact, his eyes burning holes in his plate.

Watching him bite his lip subtly before bringing his wine glass to his lips, Kagome smiled triumphantly.

It was obvious what was on his mind.

"Would you have any interest in that, Kagome?"

"Hmm?" she responded, turning her alert eyes to her brother. "Interest in what?"

"In coming home with me to the shrine tonight."

"Oh," she replied, prodding around some of the food that remained on her plate. She could still feel Inuyasha's piercing gaze on her. She wasn't hungry anymore so she really needed to stop eating before she felt bloated. "I don't know about that, Souta," Kagome sighed eventually. "I mean, I haven't spoken to Mama in…in probably too long. I don't think I'm up for that. At least not tonight anyway," she concluded with a mumble.

Souta sighed and leaned forward onto the table, crossing his arms and leaning into them. "You can't stay here forever, Kagome. I mean, unless you are legit moving in with Inuyasha?"

Kagome's cheeks flushed and she shook her head. "Oh gosh no, this arrangement is not permanent," she blurted, feeling Inuyasha's eyes narrow at her in response.

"Then why not come home with me?" Souta pressed. You know Mom will be beside herself to have you home."

"Another time, Souta," Kagome answered with a tired tone after a lingering silence wafted around the table. "I mean," she piped up, her tone brightening, "why don't you stay here tonight, instead? We've been drinking, it's getting late. You don't have school tomorrow. It would be fun," she concluded with a toothy grin. "You'd be okay with that, wouldn't you, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha shrugged lazily in response then finished the remnants of his wine glass.

"Seriously, Sis? You mean it?" Souta's smile was all teeth.

"Well," she laughed, "it seems like Inuyasha has given you his blessing, sort of, so yeah! It'll be like first year university when you came to visit me at residence and we'd have movie nights."

Souta smiled. "Good times for sure. But, listen, Kagome. You're not just counter offering this to distract me from your refusal to go home, is it?"

Kagome laughed uncomfortably and waved her brother's comment away. "Of course not, Souta. Of course not. I just thought it would be fun to have a little slumber party of sorts.

"You're staying tonight too, Sango, right?"

Kagome turned her head to address her female friend. Upon turning her attention to her friend, Kagome became aware that something must have happened between Sango and Miroku that Kagome just missed. Sango abruptly plopped her elbows on the table and dramatically turned in her chair so she was facing away from Miroku, her cheeks bright pink.

"Yes, I'll be staying in a guest room tonight. In the morning, we have to review the—"

"—Guest room?" Miroku grumbled, slouching in his chair.

"—new home insurance policy following the break-in," Sango finished tersely, her eyes turned away from Miroku and focused intently on Kagome. Miroku's comment clearly affected her mid-comment and Kagome smiled knowingly.

"I say we have a movie night," Kagome beamed, making eyes at everyone around the table.

"I'd be okay with that," Sango nodded, a smile appearing from the corner of her lips.

"I agree, Kagome," Miroku smiled, "I think that's a fantastic idea. I suggest we take our desserts and drinks down to the leisure room to decide what we shall watch."

Perfectly in cue, Kaede was prompt in suddenly appearing to begin clearing the plates away. Kaede playfully slapped at Kagome's hands while Kagome tried to assist Kaede with cleaning up but Kagome just laughed and argued that 'one of these days Kaede would get used to the fact that Kagome was helping.' Sango and Souta followed in step with Kagome and they worked quickly to clear the table.

It was obvious the energy in the room had changed for the better with Kagome's suggestion. However, despite the bustle of the Kagome's best friend and little brother, it wasn't lost on Kagome that Miroku and Inuyasha shared a tense glance and then sat at the table in silence.

Leaving the room behind her brother and Sango, Kagome peered over her shoulder to notice the visible strain between Miroku and Inuyasha. Raising her eyebrows, Kagome stepped into the kitchen, almost tempted to whistle to herself in gratitude for missing the storm that was brewing back there.

Had something happened between Inuyasha and Miroku that she completely missed? She had thought everyone seemed okay tonight; laughing, drinking, sharing stories.

But, come to think of it, Kagome thought with furrowed eyebrows, she couldn't recall Miroku or Inuyasha speaking to each other at the table over dinner.

Listening to Sango and Kaede chatting amicably, Kagome rested a handful of dishes on the counter and turned to go back into the dining room. She was partially eager to clear away the remaining napkins and plates to get their movie night started. The other part of her wanted to know what had just happened between Miroku and Inuyasha that had clearly gone over her head.

After all, this certainly wasn't the first time Kagome had been obtuse about something.

However, when she entered the space just before the open doorway, she overheard the curt, almost borderline rude, hissed whispers suggesting a strained conversation between Inuyasha and Miroku, and it caused her to stop in her tracks. Standing beside the doorframe to the dining room, Kagome licked her lips and kept her eyes glued to the floor in front of her to try to gauge what Miroku was saying. It didn't help that she had tuned into the conversation mid-sentence.

"—don't think it should be taken so lightly, Inuyasha. We should keep an eye on it."

"It doesn't have _wheels_ , Miroku; I told you before dinner, it's nothing to get worked up over."

"But, I assure you, Inuyasha. It wasn't there when I drove you to the airport those two days ago; it's suspicious to say the least. With the recent news, surely you should be taking this more seriously. It might—"

"—I don't want to talk about it," Inuyasha barked in a terse whisper. "I didn't want to have this conversation earlier and we're not having it now."

 _What the hell?_ Kagome thought as she furrowed her eyebrows.

Miroku sighed tensely. "You told me yourself, Inuyasha, that the Director said we need to keep an eye out for—"

"—What happened to you saying you didn't want to be involved this time around, Miroku? All that action last time was too much to handle?"

"This isn't a game, Inuyasha," Miroku replied bluntly, his voice low.

"Of course it's not a fucking game. It was my life, remember? You only got involved because that asshole Director thought I needed a babysitter."

"And for good reason," Miroku retorted. "Thanks to me—"

"—Thanks to you," Inuyasha interrupted hotly, "Naraku went underground, threw Bankotsu under the bus, and now he's fucking emerged from _God_ - _knows_ - _where_ to try to kill me for good."

 _Naraku? Someone wants to kill Inuyasha?_ Kagome's throat began to constrict as she inhaled and exhaled heavy breaths through her mouth.

"For the thousandth time, Inuyasha," Miroku grieved, "it wasn't my fault the mission was compromised. You need to move past that!"

"What? So, you're blaming me? You ignorant fuck. If you hadn't shown up and exposed me to Bankotsu, we could have gotten Naraku and you wouldn't have crippled your stupid hand."

"Keep your voice down, Inuyasha!" Miroku spat in a hoarse whisper. "This is completely reckless having this conversation here."

"Feh—you started it."

Miroku sighed and Kagome felt her mouth dry from the silence that lingered between the two of them. She couldn't comprehend what she was hearing.

"All I'm saying, Inuyasha, is that we can't disregard anything. There's no harm in reporting to the Director the appearance of this truck."

"So, what? You want to call that asshole, bring him and his whole team down here, and for what? Because you think it's important that some old ass abandoned truck suddenly appeared near the property? I won't bring this investigation shit close to home again, Miroku. I told you earlier, I want to keep her completely out of the mix. I especially refuse to get Kagome involved over some stupid fucking broke-down truck. They're _not_ coming after her to get to me, alright? I don't care what that stupid fucker at Naichō thinks. How many fucking times do I have to say this?"

Kagome's face paled at the mention of her name.

"I understand where you're coming from, Inuyasha. I couldn't imagine putting Sango in danger. But you need to think about Kagome. It's not safe for her—"

"—I can protect her!" Inuyasha interjected. "I don't need their help. I was able to lose the Family before I can do it again."

"It wasn't as black and white like you seem to think it was _last time_ , Inuyasha."

Inuyasha _hmph'd_ , "Say what you want, Miroku. But she doesn't know what's going on and I'm going to keep it that way for as long as possible."

Miroku sighed. "I am still of the opinion that Kagome deserves to know about them, about your history, Inuyasha. Despite your intentions, she's _involved_."

"Yeah, well, I'm still of the opinion that you're an ex-Naichō asshole who doesn't know what the fuck he's talking about."

An anxiety-evoking moment of silence lingered while Kagome cupped a fist to her sternum.

"So," Miroku's chiding tone droned, "you would negligently put Kagome's in harm way because of your pride?"

Kagome had edged too closely to the doorframe that the floor squeaked under her foot. Trying to play it cool and not make it look like she had been eavesdropping, she walked into the room humming and immediately began clearing away the remaining dishes, smiling at both the men. The room felt muggy and the air felt uncomfortable and strained. Miroku's cheeks were slightly flushed from his argument with Inuyasha.

"Are you feeling okay, Miroku?" Kagome tried to cheerfully inquire, hopeful the question would make her seem oblivious. "Your cheeks are all red."

"Perhaps I've let myself go with the wine," he smiled in response. However, she could tell he didn't mean the smile. His eyes looked...tired.

Kagome returned the grin and directed her eyes to Inuyasha, who refused to acknowledge her. His eyes were downturned towards his lap. She couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about.

Racing from the room with full hands, Kagome felt winded. The questions were swimming around Kagome's mind.

 _Where have I heard that name Naich_ _ō_ _before?_ She pondered, helping Souta dry some of the hand-washed dishes that Kaede had started.

 _First Mus_ _ō_ _and now Naraku and Bankotsu. Who are all these names slowly appearing from Inuyasha's past? Why does Naraku want to kill Inuyasha? This can't be real; someone can't_ actually _want to_ kill _Inuyasha! This is crazy! And what the hell is happening that they don't want me involved in? Does this have anything to do with the car chase? My apartment? The break-in?_

Stifling back a wave of anxious tears, Kagome gulped heavily and turned her back to the three who were chatting lively behind her. Kagome wanted to get herself in check; she didn't want to appear upset.

 _What am I involved in? Why were Inuyasha and Miroku fighting? Why did I get dragged into the middle of this...whatever this bullshit is? Am I really in danger?_

"Everything okay, Kagome?"

Kagome's eyes blinked rapidly as she snapped out of her introspection to face Sango. Her friend smiled warmly and placed a hand on Kagome's forearm.

"You've been quiet since dinner ended. You okay?"

"Of course, Sango," Kagome tried to lie, flashing her friend the best fake smile Kagome could mustre. "I just feel sleepy is all."

Sango nodded and went back to finish helping Kaede with the rest of the dishes. Kagome couldn't tell if Sango actually bought Kagome's pretending; however, she was too distracted to care. Turning her eyes towards where the dining room would be located through the kitchen wall, Kagome bit her bottom lip and tried to silence the nagging questions that swarmed her frontal lobe.

Maybe there being this developing closeness—or whatever the hell she could call it—with Inuyasha meant she could ask him about it.

 _Oh, sure, and then face of the wrath of Inuyasha for eavesdropping in the first place_.

Kagome internally sighed and decided that it was likely in her best interest to leave it alone for now. Maybe, with some courage, she would be able to ask Miroku at a later time.

Once the dining room table revealed no trace of dinner other than the lingering scent of a homemade meal, everyone refreshed their drinks and followed Miroku's lead to the leisure room.

Unbeknownst to Kagome, however, was that she had a very, very long night ahead of her.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Ta-dah! Inuyasha's past continues to unravel before our very eyes! Do you think there will be any repercussions to Kagome's eavesdropping? Let me know what you think! :D


	23. Revelations After Dark

**Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Revelations After Dark_

* * *

The last to arrive in the leisure room, Kagome smiled at observing that the seating arrangements panned out somewhat like she had expected. Sango tried to take the reclining chair; however, Miroku had quickly grabbed her hand to pull her down onto the loveseat beside him. Sango cried out in alarm, holding her one arm out in hopes of steadying her hand to prevent a wine spillage. Narrowing her eyes at her male companion, Sango's cheeks burned red as the lush seats waded to her mid-thigh and encouraged her body to lean into Miroku, who happily and unabashedly wrapped an arm around her shoulders. After a few harsh whispered words, and cheeky smirks and replies from Miroku, Sango's body language eventually softened and she cupped her wine glass with both hands, allowing herself to lean into Miroku ever so slightly. Kagome smiled at seeing how her friend took small, quick sips of her wine to wash down her embarrassment. However, the openness of their signs of a relationship were warming to Kagome's heart.

Turning her eyes to the recliner, however, Kagome felt her spirits falter.

Souta had beat Kagome to the reclining chair—one of her favourite reading places—and she allowed herself a few moments to pout. Souta wasn't obtuse to the look on Kagome's face and he smirked at her knowingly. Gripping the handle and springing the footrest to life, Souta sighed dramatically and tucked his hands behind his head. Kagome smiled at his boyish antics and revelled in his presence; her frustrations over losing her preferred seat slowly gave way to gratitude to have some of her family around her again.

Turning her head to see that the remaining three-seater sofa was still unoccupied, Kagome licked her lips and kept her eyes on Inuyasha's back while she made her way over to the vacant seat. Inuyasha was a wild card in this equation. Upon entering the room, he had immediately devoted his attention to the large—unnecessarily large, Kagome would have argued—television cabinetry rather than find himself a seat. Kagome's eyes were glued on his back and then the side of his face while she sat herself down and took a hesitant sip of wine. Her eyes, full of intrigue, watched Inuyasha fiddle with remotes, open the cabinet to reveal the large-screen TV it contained behind its maple doors, and then open several drawers full of DVDs and Blu-Rays.

By this point, Kagome had realized that Inuyasha only had two seating options: the ottoman near Souta or one of the two seat cushions beside Kagome. Either way, Kagome gulped, when eyeing up the ottoman, she guzzled down a hearty mouthful of wine at the likelihood of having Inuyasha sit so closely to her. Turning her eyes to Miroku and Sango on the loveseat, their bodies melded so closely from the lilt of the stuffed leather seats, Kagome's cheeks flushed. Would she and Inuyasha be as close as Miroku and Sango? And that close so openly? Kagome's mind danced back to a montage of images from the Jacuzzi and the glances Inuyasha gave her across the dinner table. Kagome wanted to fan herself her face started feeling so warm. However, trying to bring her mind out of the gutter and into the present, Kagome tried to rationalize that the sofa was so spacious, Inuyasha wouldn't be pressed up against her like Miroku and Sango were.

There was no way Inuyasha would sit next to her when he had another arm of the couch, a whole cushion away from her that he could lean against.

There was no way, she thought. Right?

"Help yourselves, kids," Inuyasha groaned once he had opened the five drawers in the cabinet to reveal their movie-related contents.

Souta scrambled to his feet with a cry of amazement, resting his hands on his knees while he leaned forward to admire Inuyasha's collection.

"Jesus, Inuyasha!" Souta cried, clambering his fingertips over the hefty collection. "Is there a movie you _don't_ own!?"

"Pick something good, Souta!" Kagome reprimanded with a laugh, followed by a sip of wine. She was grateful that Souta's boyishness brought a momentary reprieve from her asinine thoughts on Inuyasha's seating options. However, feeling the cool glass lip linger against her mouth, it wasn't long before Kagome's eyes followed Inuyasha as he moved towards her. Her cheeks flushed as he rested his weight against the couch arm on the side of the couch on which Kagome sat; he was so close his elbow was merely inches away from her shoulder. Forcing her brain out of the gutter, Kagome cleared her throat and adjusted her body to lean away from him slightly. Just his proximity made her chest feel tight.

"Super hero movie or horror?"

"Neither," Kagome and Sango both replied in perfect unison, causing the girls to laugh.

"I actually wouldn't mind a good horror movie," Miroku replied pensively, sipping at his bourbon neat. "I haven't seen a well-done horror film in a while."

"Yeah, right," Souta snickered, "You just want Sango to get scared so you can _comfort_ her," he concluded with air quotations.

"Souta!" Kagome cried with a laugh. Inuyasha's eyes zipped around the room to observe each speaker.

"Don't go spilling my trade secrets!" Miroku playfully gasped simultaneously. Sango was merely silent and quickly took a sip of wine as her cheeks flushed.

"Oh!" Souta cried, lifting a Blu-Ray from the drawer. Kagome narrowed her eyes in hopes of identifying the cover picture on the item but she couldn't.

"I can tell by the picture on the front I won't like it," Sango sighed with a shake of her head. Sango felt she could make a confident call at observing the three masked figures, one with a shotgun over his shoulder and another with an axe held above his head. Somewhere else on the cover, Sango could clearly make out a dark-haired female with red lips and a look of terror on her face.

"Now, now, Sango," Miroku chided with a coy smile, "haven't you ever heard the saying don't judge a book by its cover?"

Sango rolled her eyes and leaned forward to place her empty wine glass on the table.

"We _have_ to watch this, you guys," Souta argued, turning the Blu-Ray cover over in his hands to purview the film stills on the back. "I heard this one was amazing! Do you know that someone had a legitimate heart attack in the theatre because it was so scary? I think we have a winner!"

" _Greeeeat_ ," Kagome whined, leaning back into the seat and hugging herself, "it's not like I wanted to sleep tonight, Souta."

 _Just because there was a house on the back of the cover doesn't mean it's a movie about a break-and-enter, right?_ Kagome bit her bottom lip in discomfort and suspiciously eyed the Blu-Ray case once more.

Souta laughed, opened the case and handed the disc to Inuyasha's outstretched hand. Kagome had been so distracted by her analysis of the front cover that she hadn't noticed Inuyasha moved away from the arm of the couch.

"I didn't realize we had approved this decision," Sango commented with raised eyebrows, meeting Kagome's nodding expression. "I suppose my or Kagome's opinions don't matter, then, Souta?"

"Don't be dramatic, Sango," Inuyasha rebuked with a cocked eyebrow, cutting Souta off before he could even open his mouth. "It's not _that_ bad of a movie. I bet ya you'll even like it."

"So you've seen it then?"

"Yeah."

Sango crossed her arms. "Is there gore?"

Inuyasha thought for a second. "There's some blood."

"Define _some blood_ ," Kagome piped in with skeptical eyes.

"If I remember correctly I think there was one scene with someone getting dismembered."

"And that's _some_ blood?" Sango cried. "I'm vetoing this movie. Souta, what super hero film did you have in mind?"

"Oh, common, Sango," Souta whined, "I've actually wanted to see this one for a while. Miroku even seemed on board with it, didn't you Miroku?"

Miroku nodded his head only twice before he stopped due to the facial expression he received from Sango. Miroku laughed sheepishly in response.

"Why don't you borrow it, then, Souta, if you want to see it so badly?" Kagome offered, ignoring the look she received from Inuyasha at lending out his belongings.

"We don't have a Blu-Ray player at home, sis. Jeez, it's been _that_ long since you went home you don't remember?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Download it then."

Souta sighed heavily. "You _know_ I don't do that."

"Well, what do you want me to say?" Kagome retaliated. "Clearly Sango and I don't really want to watch _that_ movie."

 _Please don't make me have to sit through this! Think of someone other than yourself, Souta. Come_ on!

"It really is quite well done," Miroku chipped in, diverting his gaze between the two obstinate females. "It's more suspenseful than anything. I promise you, ladies, it truly isn't that bad."

"You're just on their side because of what Souta said," Sango accused.

Kagome nodded in agreement. "You just want Sango to scream and _need_ you."

Miroku laughed awkwardly and put a bashful hand behind his head. "I'm really that transparent, am I?"

With an aggravated _feh!_ Inuyasha opened up the Blu-Ray player, put the disc inside, and then plopped himself down heavily on the sofa. Kagome's body bounced in response to the weight of Inuyasha's sudden drop.

"You guys are just being giant babies and I've made the decision that we're watching this stupid movie, so will you just shut up about it?"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried indignantly, leaning her back into the armrest to lean further away from him. Why would he have sat himself on the crevice between the two cushions? There was maybe only half a foot between the two of them. Inuyasha's closeness to her made Kagome feel flustered. Her heart was already racing because of the anxiety building in her stomach because of the premise of this movie. "Sango and I said we don't want to watch this. Why can't we—"

"If you don't like it, leave," he brusquely replied, fingering the remote. "You girls spent too much time complaining and we men made an executive decision. Deal with it."

Kagome _hmph'd_ under her breath while muttering, "You don't need to be a jerk about it."

Inuyasha gave her a narrowed eye leer through the corner of his eye but otherwise tried to pretend as if he didn't hear her.

Kagome licked her lips and tried to convince herself she was overreacting. Sure, she wasn't the biggest fan of scary movies to begin with, but the places where her mind was going was unfounded. It was just going to be some outrageous, unbelievable, unrealistic teen drama where people go explore things they would obviously run from, and the plot would be full of holes. There was even likely to be nudity to keep people invested.

Kagome sighed and shifted in her seat. Her heart was pounding for no reason. She had no idea what the movie was about. She was just jumping to conclusions that it was about a break-in that turned deadly. Kagome hadn't realized her hands were shaking.

The music on the selection menu started with an abrupt dissonant chord and it caused Kagome to jump. In reaction, Souta burst into laughter with his hand to his chest, ridiculing Kagome that the movie hadn't even started yet.

"Well, it didn't have to be so _freakin'_ loud! Turn it down, Inuyasha!" She cried. "You'll make the floors vibrate!"

Inuyasha smirked at Souta and then hit _play_.

"That's the only way to watch movies, Kagome. What are you, new?"

Kagome sunk lower into her seat cushion and brought her knees to her chest as the eighty-inch screen turned black. Inuyasha simultaneously used a remote to dim the lights to a bare flicker. Kagome had never felt such a restricting weight on her chest before. Her entire body was on fire; every impulse was screaming _run_.

Red font appeared with another dissonant chord and Kagome snapped her eyes towards Inuyasha with a frown. She could clearly make out most of his face from the brightness of the television.

"This is so stupid," she muttered under her breath as another loud, abrupt chord caused her to jump in fright. "Sango and I should have been sitting together. We could have at least held other to hide from this stupid movie."

She heard Inuyasha sigh dramatically. Losing herself into the slow fade of a well-maintained lawn somewhere in suburban America, Kagome flinched unexpectedly when she felt Inuyasha's body come into contact with hers.

"What are you doing?" She whispered hotly, her cheeks flushing.

Through her peripherals, she could see Sango hiding her face behind a large pillow cushion and Miroku whispering words into her ear and laughing at the response those words elicited from Sango. Across from her, Souta was engrossed in the beginning developments of the film.

"Will you relax?" Inuyasha chided, reaching behind his head. He pulled a quilt from the credenza behind the couch and dropped it on Kagome's lap. "I saw Sango had found a hiding place and figured you needed one too."

"Oh gee, you're too kind," she replied sarcastically in a hushed tone to not interrupt the others.

Kagome flapped the blanket in front of her to remove all the folds before draping it over her bent knees. Turning her face back to the television once she had her fists wrapped in the blanket and hovering three inches from her eyes in case immediate coverage was needed, Kagome turned her eyes to peer at Inuyasha. Much to her surprise, Inuyasha didn't move back to the other side of the couch where he had been previously. The side of her thigh was pressed into the side of his and it caused her cheeks to warm. She didn't know if she should say something about it, so as the movie progressed, the main plot making itself apparent—much to Kagome and Sango's chagrin—Kagome let it slide, or tried to, at least.

After twenty minutes, Kagome began to shuffle uncomfortably. By an hour into the film, Kagome couldn't sit still, and Inuyasha's glances of annoyance were becoming much more frequent.

Kagome's flight or fight response was making her begin to feel claustrophobic.

Sango groaned as she hid her eyes behind the overstuffed pillow on her lap. "I _hate_ nighttime in movies. Seriously, though, why can't it always be daytime? Clearly, she's going to die now. This movie is the worst."

Miroku laughed and patted Sango's shoulder supportively.

Immediately, silence filled the room and the film, and Kagome covered her face with the blanket.

"I hate this," Kagome whined, her chest swelling with tears that loomed behind her eyes. Sango nodded in agreement and directed a nasty leer at Inuyasha when he laughed at the girls' behaviour.

"Let me know when she's dead so I can look again," Sango agreed.

"You don't know she's going to die," Inuyasha snapped, "you girls are being ridiculous."

Kagome shriveled her nose at him, but the sudden sight of the female protagonist roaming through her kitchen in her pajamas with a Chef's knife in hand caused Kagome to tear her eyes away. She felt like she was on the verge of hyperventilating. The movie's use of silence was more than Kagome could bear. Her stomach couldn't stop quivering in fear she was so on edge. She had been in a kitchen, roaming around alone in the dark when a hand clamped down on her mouth...

A startling scream, a sudden, shocking slam of a piano chord, and the tear of a sharp object piercing skin caused both girls to scream.

Then the gore that Inuyasha described as _some blood_ overtook the scene and Kagome felt her stomach muscles clench in disgust. Kagome held a hand to her mouth as she gagged.

Souta roared with laughter at the girls' scream. Initially trying to stifle his snigger, Miroku too gave into the giggles that overtook him, the furious blush on Sango's cheeks too much for him to bear. All in the room were oblivious to Kagome's near-breakdown.

"It's not funny!" Sango cried, whacking Miroku in the arm. "This movie is fucking ridiculous! _Some_ blood, Inuyasha? Are you kidding me? This scene is worse than _Carrie_!"

"I'm sorry, I forgot!" Inuyasha argued. To his detriment, Inuyasha smirked at Kagome; however, he found his smile falter when he saw the blanket finally move from her face and her eyes were red and watering

Tossing the blanket off her lap, and without one word to anyone else, Kagome stormed out of the room, trying to slam the pocket door closed on the way out; however, the door barely skirted a few inches behind her.

Briskly walking towards the stairs in the dark, Kagome felt her heart racing, enraged that Inuyasha and Miroku thought absolutely nothing about subjecting her to a film about a brutal, bloody break-in that clearly ended in a disaster for the female protagonist. Did they forget what Kagome had been involved in just a few months ago? Did they not realize how traumatic of an experience that had been for Kagome?

Bracing herself against the railing to the stairs, Kagome covered her mouth with her hand to try and stifle the tears that threatened to fall. Taking thoughtful, slow breaths, Kagome tried to dispel the building panic that fluttered throughout her chest and threatened to choke her. Kagome didn't want to be a spoilsport. She was the one who suggested the movie night and even when Inuyasha had been stupid, stubborn Inuyasha and had to have his way with picking the movie, Kagome tried to stomach the film.

But a break-in, rape, and murder? Really?

It was more than Kagome could bear.

A sudden noise behind her caused Kagome to cry out in fear and her footing faltered, landing Kagome on her bum and back on the stairs, wincing with pain.

"Kagome, it's just me," Inuyasha cried in alarm, reaching out towards her at the bottom of the stairs. "You idiot; why wouldn't you turn on a light? Are you okay?"

"I'm not talking to you, Inuyasha," she murmured, getting back on her feet. Her right buttock ached from her fall and she tried not to cup it in front of Inuyasha.

"What did I do to you?" Inuyasha retorted, his wide amber eyes muted in the darkness of the stairwell.

Kagome opened her mouth to respond but immediately shut it and then turned away from him. The darkness around them caused the claustrophobia and panic to swell within her stomach once more. Feeling her hands shaking, Kagome stuffed them into her pockets.

"Go back and finish your movie," she said instead, clenching her hands into fists from within her pockets. "I'm going to bed."

"Hey, Kagome," Inuyasha cried, reaching for her hand as she shot up the stairs; however, he missed and got nothing but a handful of air. "Kagome, come back here! Hold on a second!"

She shook her head at him in response but he missed it as she finished storming up to the second floor and closed herself into her room.

Turning on the bedside lamp, Kagome anticipated a long night of fighting back tears, cursing Inuyasha in her mind, jumping in fear out of every small noise in the house that she heard, and trying to sleep with the light on. However, much to her surprise, without even knocking, Inuyasha entered her room and closed the door behind him.

"What happened back there?"

"I don't want to talk to you, Inuyasha," she responded coldly, her voice creaking with unshed tears. "Please just go away."

"You were fine an hour ago," he replied obtusely. "What happened?"

"What _happened_?" she echoed angrily, her watery eyes finding his. "You made me watch that…that _stupid_ movie. How could you not think the subject matter would upset me? Are you really _that_ thick-headed, Inuyasha?"

Kagome opened her mouth to say something else but instead turned her face away. She bit her top lip to prevent the tears that poked their head into view and then, unwillingly, were forced to retreat. For now.

"It was just a stupid scary movie, Kagome," Inuyasha sighed. "I don't understand why—"

"You don't understand why a movie about a residential house break in that led to a twenty-year old girl being raped, tortured, and then murdered, would bother me? Think about it for a second, Inuyasha." Her tears betrayed her then and Kagome spitefully angled her face away from him, wiping at her burning cheeks with the palms of her hands.

"You knew how scared I had been back then," she said immediately, not giving him a chance to speak. "When you came into the kitchen and found me with Mukotsu." The name on her lips caused fresh tears to fall. " _You don't want to imagine the things the Family will do to you_. That's what he said to me, Inuyasha. I think rape and torture are two things that can easily be imagined, can't you?"

By this point, Kagome was almost unintelligible with her words. Inuyasha, his heart breaking at his daftness, pulled her into his chest and rested his chin on the top of her head. His body captured the vibrations of her sobs until she slowly lifted her head, her tears subsiding and turning her face away from him. Despite her anger, it felt good to be held as she gave into the sobs that had been building over the past hour. She just hated that Inuyasha had to be the source to encourage the feelings she had wanted to keep hidden, feelings that reminded her of a darker past she wanted to forget about.

"I didn't think, Kagome," Inuyasha breathed, his eyes turned to the floor. "It was just a movie, I didn't even think about it being like," he paused, "like that time. I didn't think it would upset you."

The silence that lingered then was stifling. Kagome shed a few additional silent tears and when Inuyasha finally turned to her with an open mouth to speak, the statement she directed at him rendered him silent and useless.

"How can you act like nothing's happening?"

The sudden change in tone caused Inuyasha's eyes to widen and his heart to jump into his throat.

"I get that it was just a movie, but the contents were so similar to what happened here. How can that not upset you? The circumstances under my being here: do you ever think about that, Inuyasha? That I'm staying here because someone set my apartment on fire? That I was hunted by a gunman who shot up the car I was in because he wanted to hurt m—?"

"No one will hurt you, Kagome!" Inuyasha bellowed, stealing the words from her lips. "For fuck's sake, don't talk like that! What has gotten into you?"

The loud silence that followed his shout caused Kagome's body to feel unsettled. The dejected look on his face caused Kagome's heart to pound. He clenched his hands into the duvet beneath him.

"You really think it doesn't bother me? The reason why you're here? I regret more than anything that you had been here when those assholes decided to break into this place. That everything you ever owned or loved was taken from you by that fucking fire. That you had a fucking gun pointed at you. I didn't mean for any of this to happen, Kagome. I didn't mean for you to get involved. But, I promise you—"

"—Involved in what, Inuyasha?" Kagome interrupted.

His silence rang loudly in her ears. In that silence, Kagome's thoughts had never felt clearer. She desperately craved mental release, craved to no longer be a slave to her wandering, frantic questions. Turning to look at Inuyasha, then, Kagome suddenly felt as if she had taken her first deep breath in ages. Her mind feeling set and determined, she truly felt like she could breathe.

"Inuyasha," Kagome gulped, on the edge of her mental climax, "who is Naraku?"

The look on Inuyasha's face nearly knocked the wind out of Kagome. The silence that lingered caused Kagome's heart to stammer wickedly. Despite the discomfort she felt having finally pushed past the barrier of the conversation she thought they'd never have, Kagome could have laughed for not feeling regret; she felt the opposite of regret. She was glad this question was out in the open. She was glad to have finally addressed a topic of so many sleepless nights and endless inquiries.

Her ravings would end tonight. Of that, Kagome felt positive. She wanted answers.

"Where did you hear that name?"

Kagome was silent before licking her lips to speak; the dryness was all-consuming. "I," she stammered, "I heard you earlier with Miroku."

Inuyasha bit his lip as his eyes wandered the room. It was a gesture that told Kagome he was trying to control his temper; however, she could see the pure, red anger bubbling underneath his skin.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop," she upheaved, "I was coming back to clear the dishes and I heard you mention the name Naraku. Why were you and Miroku arguing about him?"

"It's none of your fucking business."

The terseness and the quiet of his words were so jarring that it caused tears to sting Kagome's eyes.

"It _is_ my business, Inuyasha. Please." Her gaze pled at him for answers as tears casually trailed her cheekbones. "I want to help you, Inuyasha."

"You can't do anything, Kagome. Just stay the fuck out of my business!"

"Why are you shutting me out?" she cried, her eyes straining at him, watching him remove his weight from the bed and pace the floor before her.

"Drop it, Kagome!"

"No!" she cried definitely, standing to block his path where he was pacing. "Who is Naraku? Who is Musō? Why did you say his name in your sleep? What did they do to you?"

"Are you fucking kidding me, Kagome?" Inuyasha's face was ghostly white with rage.

"I just want to help you!" she cried with outstretched hands. "Please, Inuyasha," she cried, "let me help you."

"Stay away from me," he exclaimed, backing up towards the door.

Kagome, terrified he was about to leave her, threw her back up against the door and grasped the doorknob tightly in her fist behind her.

"Why does Naraku want to hurt you? What happened between the two of you?"

"Shut up!" he cried, turning away from her, his eyes glaring daggers into the floorboards. "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about!"

"Please," Kagome sobbed, "Inuyasha, just tell me who they are. Were you really being stalked when you were in the band? Was someone really trying to hurt you? Was it this Naraku person?"

"Shut your mouth, Kagome," Inuyasha choked. "Get away from the door. Now."

"What happened with the band, Inuyasha?" Kagome wept. "Why have band members been coming after you, Inuyasha? Coming after me?"

Inuyasha seized Kagome's shoulders so tightly a cry split between her lips. She could feel his rage coursing through every fingertip, his nails indenting the flesh of her triceps. Pain ran like lightning bolts down her arms. Her wide, tearstained eyes looked up at him in fear and concern.

"Inuyasha—" Kagome cried, "—you're hurting me!"

"Get away from the door. Don't make me—"

"—Tell me what happened!"

"Dammit, Kagome, I said _move_!"

Inuyasha pushed Kagome with such force she landed sideways on the bed, her mouth dry and heart pounding as she watched Inuyasha rip open the door and storm into the darkness of the hallway.

In the distance of the house, Kagome thought she heard Sango call out her name.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome called, lunging from her bed and out the room.

Inuyasha took the stairs three at a time and she heard his bedroom door slam long before Kagome made it to the third floor. Slapping the palm of her hand against his bedroom door, Kagome ignored the stinging pain and shouted Inuyasha's name.

"You can't hide from me, Inuyasha!" she shouted. She slapped her palms one more time, her hands aching from tip to wrist. "Open the door!"

The sound of objects being thrown and destroyed behind the wooden barricade in front of her caused Kagome to jump back from the door in alarm.

"Kagome!"

Kagome spun on her heel to see Miroku and Sango standing on the landing of the third floor. Souta hung back even further behind them, his face white with concern and unknown sentiments. Sango reached out for her friend, but Kagome took a step back, trying to show fierceness in her soft and vulnerable exterior.

"Miroku, do you have keys to Inuyasha's room? Please, it can't end like this. I need to talk to him."

"What happened, Kagome?" Sango asked, her eyes begging her friend for answers.

Kagome licked her lips and ignored Sango. The sound of Inuyasha's fury in the room behind them caused Kagome to flinch and shut her eyes until the episode passed. Opening her eyes, Miroku witnessed the tired pleading directed at him.

"I need to talk to him, Miroku," Kagome begged. "Please. Do you have keys?"

"I don't think it's a good idea, Kagome. When he gets like this—"

"—I don't care," she interrupted stubbornly. "We're going to finish this conversation tonight." Clenching her hands into fists, she added, "I'm really worried about him, Miroku. For his sake, I need to talk to him. Can't you hear him in there? He's hurting; can't you guys hear it? He needs help. Please, let me help him."

"What happened, Kagome?" Sango repeated. "What did Inuyasha do?"

Kagome smiled self-deprecatorily and shook her head. "I asked him who Naraku is."

The name caused Miroku's body to visibly stiffen and Kagome's eyes slowly turned to meet his.

"I overheard you and him, Miroku. I heard about the truck, Naichō, Naraku, all of it."

"Kagome," Miroku gasped, "what are you saying? What have you done?"

"I want answers, Miroku," Kagome sighed, tears running down her cheeks. "I want to know why I'm involved. And I'm not leaving this door until Inuyasha tells me why."

"Miroku," Sango called in a hushed tone, "what is Kagome talking about? What conversation is she talking about?"

"Do you have keys to Inuyasha's room, Miroku?"

Kagome's question overpowered Sango's and the silence between the three friends was loud in between the sudden bursts of Inuyasha's rage behind them.

"It's not safe, Kagome," Sango cried, "Jesus Christ, _listen_ to him in there! I don't want you going anywhere near him right now, Kagome. He's not himself."

The sound of glass breaking caused Kagome's body to wince and she licked her lips thoughtfully.

"He won't hurt me, Sango," Kagome nodded. "He's shocked, and in pain, and I think a little afraid. I know he's upset with me for bringing this up, but Inuyasha wouldn't hurt me. I'd bet my life on it. Now, do you have keys, Miroku, or do I need to go ask Kaede?"

Reaching into his pocket, Miroku gripped his set of house keys in his fist, slowly drawing them into the open. He hated that he saw some truth to what Kagome said. For how many years had Miroku thought it would be sensible for Inuyasha to confide in Kikyou? But Inuyasha always said his past was a burden he needed to bear alone; no one would ever understand.

Miroku had seen firsthand what Inuyasha had been like back then, when he was a drugged up tool of destruction for the Kuzawari Gang. When undercover, Miroku had witnessed some of the unspeakable evils that Inuyasha had done, been forced to do. Miroku had seen how dangerous Inuyasha had been when he was backed into a corner.

And now Kagome had backed him into one. He truly could not believe this would end well for her.

"Please don't do this, Kagome," Miroku implored, his palm face up and the keys glinting before Kagome's eyes. A plea gleamed in his periwinkle eyes that Kagome chose to ignore. "This is much bigger than you think it is."

"Thank you for your concern, both of you," she added, turning serious eyes towards both Sango and Miroku. "But, I want this closure. And from what I'm seeing in Inuyasha, he needs it too."

Resting her hand on the doorknob, and steadying herself with tightly closed eyes and a deep breath, Kagome sunk the key labeled "Inu Rm" into the door lock. The rampage behind the door went silent as Kagome turned the key, opened the door, and stepped into the fury that awaited her.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

Slacker McSlackington here. Sorry, friends…life gets in the way sometimes.

But, here we are! We're on the cusp of the big revelation about Inuyasha's past. Are you excited? What will happen between him and Kagome? What do you think he'll tell her? Will our favourite stubborn half-demon even say anything? Sigh…it also doesn't help that my heart says angry sex, but my commitment to the story says not yet…soon though…very soon…

I'm so excited for the next chapter


	24. The World Beyond the Wooden Door

**Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _The World Beyond the Wooden Door_

* * *

Kagome forced her body to follow the lead of her right foot. Slinking through the small opening she made between the door and the door frame, Kagome's breasts indented, almost painfully, as she slid through, fearful for how much space she should take up.

Closing the door quietly behind her body, Kagome kept her fingers squeezed around the doorknob, relishing the cool nickel in her palm.

Taking a deep breath and allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room, the first thing Kagome noticed was the heat emanating within the area. The air felt dense and oppressive.

The second thing she noticed was the mess.

The overturned bed.

The torn curtains.

The shredded pillows.

The broken window.

Then, finally, her eyes found him, crouched in front of the leftmost window with his back to her. It looked like he was cupping something in his hands.

"In—"

Kagome licked her lips in hopes it would clear her throat. She could feel the lingering rage like another presence in the room; it wafted from Inuyasha's body like a dark miasma. She tried to call to him again but her vocal chords wouldn't produce a sound. The humidity, plus the aching of her fearful heart, pounding within her frame, made her voice give out before she could fully speak his name.

"Inuyasha," she tried again.

She blinked rapidly at hearing how his name felt violent breaking the silence, a rape of the quiet.

"Don't come near me, Kagome," he called several seconds later.

Kagome gulped past the lump in her throat.

His whispered words of warning were cautious, pleading, as if the weariness of his actions had finally caught up to him.

"Are you okay, Inuyasha?"

Gesturing with her foot to take a step closer to him, Kagome felt her hand tear from the doorknob like new Velcro; she had been gripping it like a lifeline to the other world beyond the closed door. She was here now, with him now. A part of her knew there would be no going back from this side of the door.

Kagome watched Inuyasha's body tense as she took a shallow couple of steps towards him. Cautious of the mess on the floor, her eyes observed the down feathers that crinkled and flattened underneath her bare feet. She felt a tug then to look over her shoulder at the doorframe she just left. The simplicity of that world was calling to her. She felt a long ways away from Sango and Miroku who stood just feet from where she was now.

But her desperation for answers and genuine concern for Inuyasha's wellbeing presented themselves in the forefront of her mind and the world beyond the door was long gone.

Stepping over mangled sheets and pieces of wood from the broken bed, Kagome continued closer, slowly, to Inuyasha.

"You don't listen very well, do you, Bitch?"

The glib tone in his voice was lost on her. Kagome's eyes had caught sight of the broken wooden headboard and torn duvet, and her eyes began to water.

She didn't want to believe that the words she had spoken minutes ago drove Inuyasha to this. How was it possible someone could have experienced so much pain that merely referencing it could instigate such violence? In a brutal rage, Inuyasha had trashed the simple, grey room Kagome had briefly glimpsed earlier in the day.

However, now, standing in the humid aftershock of Inuyasha's violence, the solace of Inuyasha's simple bedroom no longer existed. The room felt like a battleground, and Kagome was idiotically wading right into the middle of it with nothing but her stubbornness for armour.

"Why, Inuyasha?" Kagome uttered, her body overheating with shock.

Her eyes trailed from the goose feathers, splayed and hanging like guts out the duvet, to the glass shards on the floor beside Inuyasha's body.

"What could I have possibly said to drive you to this? Why didn't I know how badly you were hurting? I mean, to do all of this?" She concluded with a hand gesture to the vast space around her.

"Why didn't you tell me you carried so much on your shoulders?"

Inuyasha merely grunted in response, angling his back towards her as she continued her slow encroachment towards him. She wanted to be careful not to get a splinter or shard of glass in her bare feet. Her eyes kept yo-yoing between Inuyasha and her path to him.

Pausing, Kagome narrowed her eyes at his hunched form, his upper torso bookended between protruding knees on either side. The moonlight gently glinted off the broken ends of glass sharply pointed in the frame and the shards on the floor. In her peripheral vision, she could almost make out the soft golden hue of the backyard patio lights around the side of the house, reflecting off the darkness of the trees in the distance.

Focusing her eyes and her thoughts back on Inuyasha, on wanting to comfort him and to get him to a state of calm so they could talk amicably, Kagome shook her head of her distractions. She needed to be in the moment, fully present in the now so she could react appropriately when Inuyasha did.

Because if he was anything right now, it was reactive.

Narrowing her eyes at him again, she saw that his back was close enough to her that she could touch his shoulder if she bent over. Kagome furrowed her eyebrows. Why was he turning his back like that to her? What was he hiding from her?

"What are you holding?"

Inuyasha didn't respond. His silence was loud enough of a response to her question.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome prodded, annoyance evident in her tone.

Reaching down and resting hesitant fingers on his shoulder, Kagome's entire body flinched when Inuyasha shook her touch away.

"Don't, Kagome."

She opened her mouth to take a deep breath. Her body felt so uncomfortably warm she could feel the humidity coating her skin like a latex.

Stubbornness and concern sitting heavily on her chest, Kagome brushed her bangs away from her forehead and then reached down again, this time wrapping her hand around Inuyasha's shoulder.

He sighed in frustration at her touch; however, he didn't shake her off this time.

"Are you okay, Inuyasha?" she asked, her tone laced with concern. She slowly lowered herself to his level. When he didn't reply to her she added, "I'm worried about you," in as quiet a tone she could muster without her vocal chords giving out.

Fully on her knees, Kagome sat back onto her calves and placed her other hand on his other shoulder. Feeling his body begin to tense under her touch, Kagome could instinctively feel him preparing to push her away. Not giving him the opportunity, Kagome quickly closed the distance between their bodies. Resting her forehead against the spinal disc at the base of his neck, Kagome wrapped her arms around his chest, squeezing him as she did so.

Suddenly, her mind was temporarily transported elsewhere.

She didn't know what made her think of it. However, feeling Inuyasha's shaking, balmy body against hers, Kagome suddenly remembered the time when Buyo had escaped from the Shrine. She was maybe eight or nine years old when it happened. Souta had been a mess from the situation: Buyo was missing for two days; their grandfather had tried to convince the children the cat was never coming home. However, Hojo and his father had miraculously found the cat hiding underneath the jungle-gym in the local playground. They had showed up just after dinner, the cat in Hojo's arms. Buyo was soaked to the bone from the earlier storm. Kagome would never forget how dazed his wide teal eyes had looked.

"Wrap him tightly, Kagome," Mama had told her, tightening the swaddle Kagome had made out of a bath towel. "When animals are scared, they like to be squeezed. Like this. It helps them feel better, feel safer."

The memory melding into Kagome's present, she felt her body autonomously react to her mother's words as she squeezed Inuyasha into herself, ignoring the sweat beginning to pool at her tailbone and between her breasts. Making Inuyasha feel safe was her only priority.

Tears brimmed her eyes at feeling how his body shook against hers. A gentle, pained vibration that Kagome knew was involuntary. She knew it was his body's response to the anger that stormed through him like a hurricane. His body was suffering the aftermath and exhaustion of trashing his room.

Placing a gentle kiss against the back of his neck, Kagome rested her cheek against his sweaty skin, feeling the salt of his sweat sting the cracks of her dry lips. In an effort to comfort him, Kagome whispered, "I'm sorry," as if her condolences for whatever pain he felt would make him feel better.

Inuyasha straightened his back immediately following her apology, as if he was trying to slide Kagome's arms off him.

"I don't deserve this, Kagome," Inuyasha said slowly, almost like a sigh.

She gripped her fingertips together. It felt like he was trying to emerge from her arms like shaking off a coat. She refused to let him. Pressing her forehead into his back, she continued to squeeze him tighter until her arms began to shake with exhaustion.

"What are you talking about?" she muffled into his back, his shirt soaking up the incredulity of her words.

"This life; it's not mine to live. Who am I to pretend everything is fine? I had a path carved out for me but I ran from it. Like a fucking whelp with my tail between my legs. And now, because I was too stupid to be a man and deal with it, it's caught up with me. And I—Fuck!" Inuyasha swore, his voice cracking, pounding his fist against the wall.

Kagome jumped in fright but quickly resumed her grasp around Inuyasha's upper torso. Her mind was racing, trying to parse through the enigma of his words.

"I should have killed that motherfucker when I had the chance. I was, no, I _am_ , such a fucking weakling!"

"Are you kidding me?" Kagome chastised. "Inuyasha, you're the strongest person I know. Don't," she paused to catch her breath, to iron out the shaking in her voice, "don't talk like that."

"Just leave me alone, Kagome," Inuyasha's darkened tone replied. "I don't deserve to be comforted. Not by you. Not like this."

Kagome scoffed angrily.

"You have no idea the things I've done, Kagome," Inuyasha responded to her non-verbal cue. "I've blackened my own soul with the shit I've done. I don't deserve nice words and apologies and _everything's going to be fine_ ," he mocked. "Nothing's going to be fucking fine."

"I don't care what choices you've made," Kagome argued, her eyes stinging as she pressed her cheek into his back. "I'm here for you regardless, Inuyasha. I want to help you. Tell me what I can do. Please?"

Inuyasha sighed and straightened his back again. Kagome kept her hands locked.

"It's not just my life that I'm fucking up. I've ruined yours too, Kagome." Kagome felt the ends of his hair tickle her arms from his down-turned head. "You've lost everything you own because of me. Everything would have been better for you if you just never got mixed up with me."

"I didn't _choose_ to be involved in anything I didn't want to, Inuyasha," Kagome reprimanded. "We can't help what's already happened. We have to make decisions based on the present; we can't change the pa—"

"Maybe Miroku is right," Inuyasha's ramble continued, his tone laced with self-defeat. "Maybe I can't protect you from them. Maybe it is best if you go."

"What? I'm not leaving, Inuyasha," Kagome cried, lifting her head up from his body. Her fingers indented his shoulder as fear and vexation coursed through her veins. "I'm going to help you. You can't just shoo me away, Inuyasha. It doesn't work like that."

"Don't be a fucking idiot, Kagome," Inuyasha snapped, using his one hand to pry her fingers off his body. "You have no fucking idea how deep in this shit I am."

"Then _tell_ me! How many times do I have to tell you, Inuyasha, that I want to help you? That I'm not going anywhere! Get that through your thick head already!"

"God dammit, Kagome!" Inuyasha roared, "You don't fucking understand!"

He lunged upwards with such a force it propelled Kagome backwards onto the floor. Clambering to her feet moments later, Kagome watched him loom above her, his brow so dark she couldn't see his eyes.

How could she look at his face, though, when she finally saw what he had been clutching to his stomach, hiding away from her sight?

The length of his hand, from his pinky to his wrist was gaping open. His forearm was coated in dry and semi-dry blood. Kagome's stomach lurched. She could picture it now: Inuyasha smashed his fist through the window. Inuyasha then cut open his hand when retracting his fist back into the room, the length of his fist making contact with a broken spike remaining of the window.

Kagome watched with horrified eyes as blood drizzled in a steady stream to the floor. Wiping her teary eyes and cursing herself for being a baby and responding with waterworks, Kagome slowly raised her eyes to try to find his. However, her visual assent stopped when she saw just how much blood had pooled and stained the midriff of his shirt, where he had been housing the wound.

"Inuyasha, my God, your hand!" Kagome choked, unable to hold back the tears. She felt so out of her depth then, completely overcome by her uselessness.

"Just go, Kagome," he snapped.

"I'm not leaving you like this!" she retorted angrily.

"I'm not giving you a fucking choice, Kagome. Get out of here! I don't want to see you anymore."

"What—" she sobbed, "—what are you saying? You don't mean that."

"I mean it, Kagome: I don't want to see you anymore! It's better for both of us if you just pack up your shit and get out of here. Tonight. I don't want to think about what would happen if you don't. You _need_ to leave."

Kagome watched as he turned his side to her, angling his face away so he didn't have to see her cry. She angrily wiped her tears from her cheeks. Her brows were so furrowed her forehead hurt.

"You don't get to just send me away!" she shouted, gruffly reaching for his elbow and forcing his body to face her. "If you think for one _second_ , Inuyasha, that I will listen to you when you're acting like this, _you're_ the fucking idiot here! Now, _please_ , we need to get your hand looked at, I—"

Inuyasha tore his body away from her, creating several steps of distance between them.

"Just _stop_!" he bellowed. "Kagome, please, I need you to stop. For your own good, just fucking— _ugh_ ," he sighed, his voice hoarse. "Just _please_ listen to me. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Inuyasha," Kagome sighed in distress, closing the distance he had created, "nothing is going to happen to me! Why do you keep saying—"

"—They prey on weakness, Kagome, alright? I've seen the shit they've done to people in order to get what they want. I've _done_ so…" his voice wavered, "so much shit for them, like a fucking puppet. And right now, I'm their number one target. Understand, Kagome? They want my head on a silver platter, and you're the ticket they need to get it."

"Me? But, why would they—"

"I can't stand thinking about what they'll do to you," Inuyasha croaked, turning away to cup his bloody hand in his other palm. "They'll use you to get to me. They'll torture you, Kagome, until they get their revenge."

"Torture? But, but, that's not legal," Kagome cried, her eyes wide with horror. "They can't do—"

Inuyasha's impertinent laughter stole the words from Kagome's mouth.

"They can do whatever the fuck they want to do, Kagome. They own the whole damn city."

"Who does?"

"The Family."

"Your family?"

"For a while, yeah, I guess you could say they were my family."

"No one can _own_ the city, Inuyasha; it's run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. It's—"

"They're everywhere, Kagome," Inuyasha interrupted. "They have their hand in every bank, in every stream of government. They're the dirty cops, the corrupt governors. They may as well own this place."

"But how? Who _are_ they?"

Inuyasha sighed before lowering his body to the floor with a grunt. She could tell just from listening to his strained breaths that he was exhausted. Part of her just wanted to encourage him to rest, to take him by the hand, lead him to bed and put him to sleep. However, the other part of her, the part that wanted answers, was on the edge of her seat.

To Kagome, it sounded like a sigh of surrender. She was on the verge of answers. Her stomach felt queasy with a combination of anxiety and keenness.

"I'm warning you again, Kagome," Inuyasha groaned, inspecting his wound. "You really should leave."

"And I'm telling you again, Inuyasha," Kagome bickered, sitting down beside him and cradling her knees to her chest, "I'm not going anywhere, so you may as well just tell me so I can figure out how to help you."

Inuyasha snorted and shook his head at her, his eyes looking tired and distant.

A few moments of silence lapsed between them then. Kagome presumed Inuyasha was taking this time to determine what he was going to tell her. Inching her bottom a few centimetres closer to Inuyasha, Kagome wanted her body closer to him. Their shoulders gently touching, Kagome could feel the heat radiating off his skin and bathing hers. Despite the humid stickiness of her own skin, Kagome liked feeling his warmth. And she wanted him to feel hers. She knew he wasn't in a place where he could understand her words of comfort. She just hoped her actions could verbalize to him what her words couldn't.

Leaning into her body, Inuyasha sighed and rested his cheek against the top of Kagome's head.

"You're too stubborn for your own good, Kagome."

Kagome released a gentle laugh through her nose and allowed herself to close her eyes for a few moments. It was the gentlest exchange they'd had all evening. She didn't want to allow herself a distraction from her pursuit of the truth; however, at the same time she acknowledged that Inuyasha needed the space to organically tell his story. She would be patient and happily accept any and all information he shared with her. Even if it turned out to be information she really didn't want to know.

At the end of the day, she told herself, no matter what he could say to her, he was still Inuyasha.

Her Inuyasha.

"I'm not nearly as stubborn as you," Kagome argued playfully, nudging him in the side.

Inuyasha laughed.

"If the Kuzawari allowed females into the Family, I'm sure they would have liked you. Stubbornness is one of the traits they look for in their _kobuns_."

Kagome separated their bodies then, raising her head to look up into Inuyasha's eyes, dull with exhaustion yet still brilliantly golden, with a look of inquisitiveness.

" _Kobuns_?"

Inuyasha nodded. "The children or apprentices of the Family. Protégés, I guess you could call them."

"Protégés for who?"

"The _oyabun_ , Naraku, and his First Sons."

"I don't understand," Kagome cried, her expression pleading for Inuyasha to stop being so cryptic with his responses. However, from the blank look on his face she could tell that his mind had gone somewhere into its recesses. Inuyasha's presence felt more automatic then than it did aggressive. It was clear to Kagome that the miasma of rage had dissipated through the broken window since the time she first entered the room.

"Naraku is the head of the Kuzawari Gang, Kagome."

"A gang?"

"Yeah—one of the more corrupt offshoots of the _Yakuza_. Naraku, the _oyabun_ , he…found me…when I was just a kid."

Her brown eyes bore up at him. "What do you mean 'found you'?"

"Kidnapped, I guess you could say," Inuyasha sighed, rubbing his neck. " _Kobun_ can't have a family of their own when they're brought into the Family. As I got older, I realized that me and the other kids were all just manipulated little shits, tricked by Naraku and his First Sons into thinking our real families abandoned us. I guess it's easier to trick people into being your slaves when they think they have nothing else going for them."

"Inuyasha, I don't know what you mean by _oyabun_ and _kobun_. You're talking about a gang, your family? There were parents and children?"

"The Kuzawari is based on the traditional dyadic structure of parent and child, Kagome, where the _oyabun_ is the family head, the First Sons, his underlings or _supervisors_ —we used to call them our big brothers—and then the _kobun_ , the kids collected in order to continue the work of the _oyabun_."

"The work? What work?"

Inuyasha _hmph'd_. "Drugs, sex trafficking, illegal firearms. You name it; Naraku had his hand in it."

"But, how did you get mixed up in all of that? How did Naraku find you? My God, Inuyasha, I—I can't believe this."

Inuyasha snorted. "Luckily for me I wasn't a normal brat like the others. I was handpicked by the _oyabun_ himself." He rolled his eyes. "It was like being royalty of the fucking underworld. People would shit themselves over one cross look from Naraku. Then he finds himself a hot-tempered, cocky little shit to do all his bidding? I _liked_ fucking people up, Kagome, and Naraku knew it too. It's like he could sense that anger in me. He used it to his advantage.

"Shit," he sighed, covering his eyes with his hands. "It took years before I saw the Family to be the sadistic fucking plague that it was. Young boys duped into loyalty to a corrupt, anti-peace gang. I saw boys who I grew up alongside and considered brothers killed for trying to escape from the Family. The oath the _kobun_ make to the _oyabun_ is one of life, justice, and duty. The Family is life, Kagome. Once you make that oath, there's only death if you seek anything other than the Family."

"What the hell does _that_ mean?" Kagome cried with bewildered eyes. "An oath?"

Inuyasha nodded. "When the boys reach their second year with the Family, they have to prove their allegiance to the _oyabun_ and gratitude to the First Son who _adopted_ them. You don't join the family a _kobun_ , you have to take the oath to prove that you're man enough to do what the Family needs to you do."

Inuyasha sneered. "I guess you can say that having the head of the Family as my _adopted father_ just made my work cut out for me more than the others."

"So, Naraku and his followers just went out and _collected_ little boys?" Kagome felt nauseated. "How is that even possible? That would have been all over the news! People would have known or suspected!"

"Oh, really?" Inuyasha patronized. "You think the news covers every single runaway boy situation in Japan? Who really cares about how many bratty kids go missing a year? Ever notice one thing in the news, Kagome? People don't give two shits about little boys. The second a little girl goes missing the world gets their panties in a twist. But not little boys; they're on their own from day one."

"But your family must have been beside themselves, Inuyasha! I mean, what happened to your mother or your father? You clearly reconnected with Sesshoumaru at some point. What happened?"

Inuyasha's face went dark and he retreated into himself again. Agonizing minutes passed in the silence before Kagome licked her lips and forced the silence to end. She felt sweat drip down the bridge of her nose from the heat of her churning thoughts.

"So Naraku is the head honcho, and then there are the boys, or the _kobuns_ who pledge themselves to do whatever Naraku wants them to do. Who are the First Sons? I don't get how they fit into the picture."

"They're Naraku's initial followers. His main cronies. I guess you could kinda think of it like the Prime Minister and his cabinet ministers. The First Sons were the ones who kept order, who stole most of the boys. It makes me sick to think I used to refer to some of them as _big brother_. Actually, now that I think about it, Musō was one of them."

"Musō," Kagome repeated. She felt lightheaded at how quickly all the loose ends were being tied.

Inuyasha nodded.

"You said his name in your sleep when you," she paused, "when you had that nightmare."

"Probably," Inuyasha sighed, turning his attention to his bleeding hand temporarily. He tried to flex his fist but then winced and dropped his hand onto his lap again.

"What happened with him, Inuyasha?"

"He's the first man I ever killed."

The silence that attacked Kagome following those words was too overwhelming. Tears plummeted from her eyes. Her stomach churned with nausea.

"Does that upset you?" Inuyasha asked, his golden eyes turning to focus on her face, to observe her reaction. His tone wasn't mocking it was…empty.

"You saw how I dealt with Suikotsu on the Expressway, Kagome. I know that you know I killed Ginkotsu that night during the break-in. You can't pretend like this is the first you've heard of me killing people."

"You don't need to be so macabre and okay with it, Inuyasha," Kagome snapped. "You're talking about taking people's lives like it…like it's _nothing_!"

Inuyasha snorted again. "I did take people's lives like it was nothing. I participated in three blood oaths before Naraku was satisfied that I was untouchable."

"Blood oaths? My God, Inuyasha, you had to take a _blood oath_ to pledge your allegiance?"

"Oh, it wasn't my blood I made the oath with. You had to bleed the others without killing them. It showed that you were strong enough to maintain control of a situation without being weak enough to fear injury or death. Dying for the Family is considered honourable. Allowing yourself to be injured is nothing but weakness."

"Are you _kidding_ me? Inuyasha, oh, Jesus Christ. That's—I—how _old_ were you?"

"Eight? Maybe nine. I was ten when I finally became Naraku's _kobun_. The Blood Oaths were supposed to be the _kobun_ initiation, but most times it just felt like the First Sons gambling over the weakest kids, placing their bets on which ones weren't gonna make it."

Kagome's eyes felt raw. "Did children die?"

Inuyasha nodded.

Kagome's mouth dried up entirely. "Did you kill children, Inuyasha?"

He nodded again.

 _Jesus Christ, I think I'm going to be sick_ , Kagome lamented, closing her eyes to try and control her breathing. Her head was spinning.

"How old were you when—" Kagome paused and took a laboured breath, "—Musō died?"

Inuyasha snorted again. "Eight or nine, I think. It was his own fault too. He tried to stand up for me against the _oyabun_. _Hmph_ , fucking idiot. You so much as look at Naraku the wrong way and it's a Burning Ritual. Fuck, I still can't stand the smell of fire."

Kagome's back straightened with a snap and she turned round, quaking brown orbs to meet Inuyasha's emotionless gaze.

"B—burning ritual?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Naraku always had a point to prove, and he believed that burning a man alive was the closest thing to playing God."

"No," Kagome cried in a hoarse whisper, tears cascading her cheeks. "No, Inuyasha, please. Tell me he didn't…you didn't…"

Inuyasha sighed and gazed down at his hand. He couldn't allow himself to give into Kagome's vicarious pain.

"I did," he confirmed quietly. "I was the Ritual Leader for Musō. Naraku wanted me to be his greatest weapon, believing that the more Burning Rituals I led, the less weakness I would have, the _godlier_ I would be."

Inuyasha's face darkened. "And I guess you can say that sick fuck was right. The more men he had me kill the emptier I became. The _kobuns_ who did their work in the drug trade used to pass around all sorts of shit to help us suppress our guilt, to help us sleep, to help us stay _empty_.

"Actually, that was where I met Bankotsu."

 _Bankotsu?_ Kagome's mind shouted. _Where have I heard that name before?_

"Why do I know that name?" she asked, verbalizing her thoughts.

Inuyasha snorted smugly. "He was my lead singer."

Kagome felt her mouth drop. "One of your band members was a _kobun_ too?"

Inuyasha scoffed at Kagome's naivety. "Not _just_ Bankotsu, Kagome. All of us. The entire band was made up of Naraku's _kobuns_."

"But—but, how is that even possible? It can't be a coincidence?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "Long story short, when I was a teenager, I had had enough of Naraku's shit and I ran away from the Family. There was," Inuyasha paused, "that is to say," he stopped to sigh. "I thought I found my mother."

"Your mother?" Kagome echoed. "But how? Where did you find her?"

Inuyasha's eyes looked blank as he stared into the torn grey sheets before him.

"I had only been gone for a few days before Naraku sent First Sons after me and, well—I, uh, didn't end up leaving like I wanted to."

Kagome's eyes bore into him for answers. "What happened?"

Silence answered her.

"So fast forward a few years," Inuyasha finally continued, not pausing to answer Kagome's question, "I'm a drugged-up uncontrollable rage of fury and want nothing more than to kill Naraku. That was when I found out about my real father and everything changed."

"Your _real_ father?" Kagome gasped. "How did you find him? What happened?"

Kagome felt her heart thudding. Why did it feel like Inuyasha was only giving her part truths? How did he find his mother? What happened to her? How did he just stumble upon his real father after all those years being an _abandoned_ child, like Naraku said he was?

Weren't _kobun_ not supposed to have a real family? Wasn't that the point? They needed to shed their old family for their new one. Kagome felt like Inuyasha was censoring his story.

"My father was a well-known political figure at the time," Inuyasha began, leaning his head against the wall. Kagome couldn't help but stare at his Adam's apple as he spoke. "I didn't know this at the time, but my father had his own personal dealings with Naraku. That was how he eventually found out about me. I was Naraku's errand boy.

"It was weird at first, realizing that not only I _had_ a real father, but that Naraku knew about him and did business with him.

"That was when my father made a new deal with Naraku: I would go to Naraku whenever he had work for me to do, but I got to leave the _kobun_ dojo to live with my father and Sesshoumaru, my half-brother, here at Sengoku Manor."

Inuyasha sighed. "I still don't know what the deal was that my father made with Naraku, but all's I know is that it was dirty, _real_ dirty. Several _kobun_ got involved and died because of it. Shit," Inuyasha swore, "I didn't care at the time though. All I knew was that I had finally gotten out of that shithole."

Kagome could barely keep her wits about her. How was Inuyasha's background so grotesquely complicated? This whole situation felt surreal. It was almost like she wanted Inuyasha to burst out in laughter and tell Kagome he had been pulling her leg this whole time.

"So Naraku made the deal? Even though you weren't supposed to have another famili?"

Inuyasha licked his lips. "He didn't go for it right away. I think for the reason you're suggesting, Kagome. It took some time before Naraku grew to trust my real father enough to allow me to leave the dojo.

"Eventually, though," Inuyasha exhaled, his tone changing, "Sesshoumaru found his way into the public eye and it grew more difficult for me to be Naraku's errand boy."

Kagome tilted her head to the side in confusion. "How so?"

"Same hair," Inuyasha stated, grabbing a handful of his tresses in his uninjured hand. "I got mistaken for my half-brother once and that was all it took for the media to freak out about the silver-haired Taisho men. That was when Naraku kept his distance from me for a while and I got sucked into an unwanted fame. But that was what made me really start to want out of the Family so badly. I got my first taste of real freedom."

"What happened with your father?"

"He died," Inuyasha said coldly, turning his bleeding fist over in his hand. "Then he left this dump to me and Sesshoumaru grew so pissed over it that we stopped talking."

Kagome played with the hem of her shirt uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Feh, no skin off my back. He's an asshole anyway."

"There's one thing I don't understand, though, Inuyasha," Kagome began after a moment of silence, hugging her knees to her chest. "How your band was made up of _kobuns_. I thought you said you got out of the gang?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "Even though it felt like I was a free man, I was still a _kobun_. Naraku just smartened up that he couldn't use me like he used to because people knew my face now. He needed to be sneakier than that. So, essentially, Naraku started to use my fame to his advantage instead."

"Use your fame?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Private planes meant no airport security checks. I could get private access to anyone in the world that I wanted to: the Premier of China, the Hell's Angels in LA, any other celebrity. My entourage was made up of _kobuns_ for a while.

"But it became more difficult for me to go where Naraku needed me to go. So, what better way to ensure I got to frequently travel the world than start a band, make me the manager, and have us go on tour?"

"I can't believe that," Kagome gasped, licking her lips. "Naraku just proposed you and some of the other _kobun_ start a band?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "It was exactly the kind of circumstance Naraku wanted. We had spilled blood in oath to him not to betray his trust, so that asshole had us entirely in his palm. We had unlimited access to the world. It was flawless. We met who he wanted us to meet. We could transport who he wanted us to transport.

"Bankotsu was always humming, whistling, or singing some song when we were kids. It used to annoy the shit out of the rest of us. But the jerk could carry a tune, I'd give him that. I wouldn't be surprised if he put the bug in Naraku's ear about it."

"So the band just kept doing Naraku's work the whole time they were together?"

"Mmhmm. For all four albums. If there was some especially dirty work that needed to be done, one of our entourage did it and we just reported its completion. Naraku checked up on us periodically." Inuyasha's face winced in memory. "It was a sorry reminder that I couldn't enjoy the experience like I tried to pretend I could. I was living a lie that I desperately wanted to believe was true." He sighed. "Even though I was _Inuyasha Taisho_ of 'The Band of Seven,' I was just as much Naraku's puppet then as I was when I was an eight year old brat."

"Is that why you still keep mementos of the band?"

Inuyasha turned a raised eyebrow to her, his golden eyes alarmed.

"I mean," Kagome continued, "if you try to forget about _why_ the band came together in the first place, I'm sure there were times where you really enjoyed yourself. Hearing my brother talk about all your shows, that one drumstick on your wall in the frame, seeing all the pictures, reading all those blogs. People worshipped you, Inuyasha," Kagome said with a sad smile. "I don't blame you for being a little nostalgic about those times. There are little memories that are kind of a silver lining of those times."

"Feh," Inuyasha snorted. "I keep that shit up to remind me not to forget where I came from. That, and when I have reporters and shit randomly pop up, they expect to see shit like that. I'm _supposed_ to be proud of my old band. Besides, there were no _good times_ , Kagome. I was a prisoner the whole fucking time. If I put one toe out of line, any one of those douchebags in the band would have sold me out to Naraku."

"So," Kagome stated, her shaking voice shattering the silence between them, "what happened with the band?"

Inuyasha's brows furrowed. "What do you mean _what happened_?"

"What happened between you all that, now that they're on bail, they're coming after you?" She gulped. "Or coming after me to get to you?"

Inuyasha released a lengthy exhale and scratched at his chin.

"I double-crossed the Family. Technically speaking, that sort of shit is supposed to guarantee my death. The band, the other _kobun_ who are still loyal to Naraku, plan to kill me for my betrayal."

Kagome shuddered. "Does that have anything to do with what I overheard you talking about with Miroku? Naichō or whatever they're called?"

Inuyasha gave Kagome an unimpressed look and she shrugged her shoulders at him in apology. Scratching at his head in irritation, Inuyasha eventually sighed and got to his feet without answering Kagome's question.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome called, watching him head towards his bedroom door. "Where are you going?"

Inuyasha gripped the doorknob in his uninjured hand and turned to face Kagome at the same time he opened the door. Kagome could feel a vacuum of cold air sail into the room and she got to her feet.

"You know enough of the story that there's no point in hiding the rest from you," Inuyasha remarked ambiguously.

Stepping into the dark hallway, he turned around and opened the door wide enough to signal Kagome that he was beckoning her to follow him. Widening her step to avoid the remnants of disaster on the floor, Kagome tried to keep her eyes off the bloodstain on Inuyasha's stomach as she walked towards him.

"So, where are we going then?" Kagome asked, stepping into the coolness of the hallway and fighting down the uncertainty rumbling in her stomach.

"To go find Miroku," Inuyasha responded. "Considering that pervert represents the _good guys_ in this tale, he may as well tell you his side of the story."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

So, I'm not gonna lie. When this story started out, I didn't plan for it to be so dark. But Inuyasha's origin stories just came to me in a dream and one day I madly captured the whole story in a note app on my phone, and here we are. I think there's a part of all of us that loves a troubled past in Inuyasha and a redemptive story arc thanks to Kagome bringing out the best in him.

What were your initial reactions to his tale? Shock? Did you see it coming? I love all of you and all your thoughts.

You beautiful readers make me push through those moments of writing ennui. Your reactions and reviews are always so appreciated. Keep 'em coming! 3


	25. Reconciliation

**Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Reconciliation_

* * *

When they found themselves on the main landing of the house, the silence felt large and intimidating to Kagome. Inuyasha didn't utter a word as they descended the stairs; however, Kagome occasionally heard him take a laborious breath while staring down at his clenched fist. With the adrenaline of the moment behind them, Kagome could only imagine how much pain Inuyasha must be in now that he was coming down from his anger.

That descent felt like the longest moment of Kagome's life. Her eyes hovering over his shoulders and back, she felt shocked, her stomach pulsing on the borderline of nausea.

 _You have no idea the things I've done, Kagome. I've blackened my own soul with the shit I've done. I don't deserve nice words and apologies and_ everything's going to be fine _. Nothing's going to be fucking fine._

The memory of his words pounded in time to her growing headache. Kagome couldn't gulp down the growing fear that was choking her: the fear that she would never again be able to see Inuyasha without memory of this night, memory of the horrors he shared with her.

The one thing Kagome couldn't wrap her head around—didn't want to wrap her head round—was how nonchalant Inuyasha had been in recounting all the lives that had come to an end by his hand. He had taken lives like it was nothing—those were the words he used. A chill ran up Kagome's spine and she uncomfortably crossed her arms in hopes of dispelling the unease plaguing her insides.

Wanting to reach out to him, to speak to him, but completely dumbstruck with what to say, Kagome bit her tongue and silently, obediently, followed Inuyasha to find Miroku.

Trailing in Inuyasha's shadow in the still of the night and quiet of the house, Kagome wondered if Inuyasha was leading her to Miroku's bedroom, a room Kagome had never before thought about or to which she ever thought she would find herself. However, Inuyasha seemed to change direction at the last minute and appeared to be heading for the kitchen. As they drew nearer to the kitchen, Kagome knew her suspicions were correct; the whispered voices of Miroku and Sango drifted through the halls like a beacon marking the way for Kagome and Inuyasha.

Once they rounded the corner into the kitchen, Kagome shielded her eyes from the bright kitchen pot lights and valance lighting. She heard a flurry of activity, including chairs scuffling and scraping against the hard, cold floor. Sango gasped, her eyes stuck on Inuyasha's bloodied midriff and cradled wound. Miroku swore under his breath, rhetorically asked Inuyasha what he had done, and then hurriedly stated he would go wake Kaede.

"Oh my God," Sango cried, standing erect and rushing towards Kagome and Inuyasha as Miroku simultaneously left the room. "Your hand, Inuyasha! _Jesus_ , what happened? Kagome," Sango cried, her wild brown eyes turning to survey her friend's appearance. "Are you okay? What happened in there? Come sit down. Can I get you anything? Your _shirt,_ Inuyasha. Oh my God..."

Kagome uttered several unconvincing statements like, "we're fine, Sango", or "nothing happened" or, "we're okay, really"; but, the words didn't appease Sango. Her mind too focused on her actions, Sango went to the sink to dampen a cloth for Inuyasha in hopes of helping him clean up some of the blood.

"Has it clotted yet? Is it still bleeding? Can I get you some aspirin, Inuyasha?"

Kagome smiled at her friend's worry over Inuyasha, but Inuyasha just rolled his eyes, ignored the offering of the cloth to clean himself up, and snapped at Sango to sit down, shut up, and relax.

"Where's Souta?" Kagome asked, turning to look over her shoulder to observe the rest of the kitchen.

Despite the flurry of their activities, the house otherwise felt empty and lifeless. Kagome couldn't put her finger on quite how unsettling it was to find herself in this situation; an otherwise lively estate, now sombre and still, was juxtaposed with the sudden chaos of Kagome and Inuyasha's appearance in the kitchen. Not to mention the unwanted memories of the break-in that teased their way to the forefront of Kagome's mind. She immediately distracted herself with thoughts of Inuyasha, forcefully turning her eyes away from where she had been assaulted in the kitchen by Mukotsku.

Kagome gulped down a mouthful of saliva. This whole day had been surreal.

Sango sighed and perched herself on the corner of one of the chairs, reaching across the table to rest a hand atop Kagome's.

"Souta sat with us in the leisure room for a while after you went into his," Sango nodded to Inuyasha, "room to talk." She paused to take a breath. "Needless to say, we didn't finish the movie. We didn't do too much after that; I wanted to come see you," Sango continued, turning her tired eyes to scour Inuyasha's visage, trying to read him and the situation, "but Miroku wouldn't let me.

"After a while, Souta couldn't stop yawning, so Miroku showed Souta to one of the guest rooms. He's been in there ever since." Sango exhaled humourously, "He told me to personally wake him up the second I saw you. He was really worried about you."

Kagome shook her head with a self-deprecating smile. "What did you all think would happen? I'm fine."

"Well, can you explain to me what the hell happened to _him_ , then? Clearly _something_ happened."

Inuyasha looked up from his injured hand and narrowed his eyes at Sango. "You implying something, Sango?"

Sango furrowed her brows. "Yeah, Inuyasha, I am. What the hell is wrong with you? Trashing your room like an adolescent child acting out! If Kagome weren't here—"

"—Don't you start with me, bitch! If I—"

"—Sango, Inuyasha, _stop_ it," Kagome snapped, her eyes yo-yoing between the pair. "When Miroku comes back, we can—"

"—Good Lord, Inuyasha," Kaede cried as soon as she stepped into the room. The old woman's appearance stole the words from everyone's lips and they watched in staggered silence as her presence filled the room. She cradled a white metallic box in her arms. A frown accentuated her wrinkled features as her eyes assessed Inuyasha head to toe.

Kagome bit her lip in guilt that Miroku should have gone to disturb Kaede in the almost early morning. Kaede wore a dressing gown tightly cinched between a drooping, aged bosom and a rounded, stout middle. Her nighttime appearance caused the older woman to appear more grandmotherly than usual, her hair knotted back into a vintage, low-hanging updo.

"What have you done to yourself?"

"Relax, Kaede," Inuyasha retorted with an eye roll. "I'm not dying or anything."

"Hmm," she responded with an unimpressed tone. "I imagine the item that caused this harm is likely in much worse condition than yourself."

Inuyasha smirked as he relinquished his hand to Kaede's outstretched palm. "You could say that."

Kaede's half-moon spectacles dangled on the edge of her nose as she turned Inuyasha's hand within her grasp, surveying the extent of the damage. Inuyasha flinched once or twice, his breath caught in his throat once, and all three times Kagome jumped uncomfortably. She couldn't stand to see him in pain. Sango went to stand by Miroku at the kitchen entryway, hoping to give Kaede the space she needed to accurately assess and remedy Inuyasha's injury. Kagome was hovering on the edge of her seat, her thumb between her teeth as she watched Kaede command Inuyasha to wiggle his fingers; the elder wanted to ensure Inuyasha hadn't sustained any nerve damage.

"You're fussing over nothing, old woman," Inuyasha grumbled impatiently as Kaede continued her inspection. "Just slap a bandage on it and we all know it will be good as new by morning."

"Do you have medical training, Kaede?" Kagome inquired, watching the senior woman release Inuyasha's hand to rummage in the white box she had brought with her.

Kagome wasn't the only one trying to ignore Inuyasha's impetuousness; Kagome could see Kaede shaking her head at Inuyasha's outbursts, and hear Sango's scoffs. However, Kagome couldn't help that her stomach was knotting over concern for Inuyasha and disbelief for the current situation.

A part of her didn't want Kaede's inspection to end. Kagome was scared what the conversation between the four adults would look like once Inuyasha's wound was no longer the centre of attention. Inuyasha and Kagome came to find Miroku for a reason: for him to enlighten Kagome on the parts of Inuyasha's tale that Inuyasha, himself, couldn't speak to. When Kaede left, Kagome would have to confront her catch-22: Kagome didn't want to know more, but she did. She wanted to understand, but was scared what that understanding would mean for her, and what it would do to her relationship with Inuyasha.

"Aye," Kaede sighed in response to Kagome's question, lifting a small plastic bottle from the bin and raising it to her line of vision to inspect. "I do. Many years ago, long before this young pup's father hired me as a caretaker, I was a midwife.

"Hold out your hand, Inuyasha," Kaede instructed with a tone gruffer than that she used with Kagome. "Some ointment and a few sutures and your hand will heal just fine."

Inuyasha exhaled brusquely and did as he was told and Kagome turned her sight away from Inuyasha's injury. Turning in her chair to face the kitchen's entrance, Kagome's eyes landed on Miroku and Sango engaged in a quiet conversation between the two of them.

The chair scraping the floor beneath her, Kagome walked towards her female friend, who stopped midsentence to embrace her childhood friend. Kagome didn't want to stomach the sight of Inuyasha's blood anymore.

Behind Kagome, she could hear Inuyasha telling off Kaede for _man-handling_ his injury. She tried to moisten her drying mouth in an effort to dispel her discomfort.

"You have no idea how much grief you caused me, Kagome," Sango whispered into her friend's hair. "I was so sure something awful was going to happen when you went in there."

Kagome smiled appreciatively at her friend and held Sango at a distance. "I told you Inuyasha wouldn't hurt me, Sango. We just talked."

"Were you there when he—? You know. His hand?"

Kagome shook her head. "It happened right before I went in."

"Was his room—?"

"—It's completely wrecked," Kagome whispered hotly, her eyes stinging in memory. "His bed, the window, it's a war zone, and to think I made him—"

"—You cannot take any responsibility for Inuyasha's hotheadedness," Sango interjected with furrowed brows. "Do you hear me, Kagome? You can't control how he reacts to situations."

"Sango's right," Miroku added in an equally hushed tone, despite his knowing that their conversation was quite audible to Inuyasha should he care to eavesdrop. "Inuyasha has been reactive like this since I first met him. Like it or not, it's how he responds, digests the information. I won't say it's healthy, but that's Inuyasha."

"You promise me he didn't hurt you?"

Kagome sneered at Sango and shook her head. "I told you, Sango. He wouldn't hurt me, okay? He only hurt himself. That idiot…"

Sango sighed, sensing the irritability in Kagome's tone; she knew she shouldn't push the young woman any further. "Did you at least find some of the answers you were looking for?"

Kagome turned then to Miroku's stern glance and apprehensive eyes, suddenly self-conscious of his presence. Miroku was the one who had pleaded with Kagome to reconsider and not enter Inuyasha's room in the first place. However, her hunger for answers, for closure, had made her disregard his pleas. What did he think was going to happen to her once she found out the truth? Did he believe Inuyasha was going to tell her? Kagome inwardly appreciated that Miroku had warned her selflessly, knowing very well that Kagome was going to struggle with the truth, should she discover it.

Biting her lip, Kagome nodded slowly.

"What did he tell you, Kagome?"

Kagome turned her gaze away from Miroku's imploring stare.

"He told me about them, Miroku," Kagome whispered quietly, uncomfortably, after a moment's delay. "The Family. The Band."

Inuyasha's words circled her head, confusing her, causing waves of confliction to swell within her. Kagome's emotions felt all over the place: concern for Inuyasha; guilt for causing him to act out like he had; disbelief of the childhood he experienced; heartache and anger for the terrible things he admitted he had done, had been done to him.

Kagome's heart reminisced the gentle touches and longing kisses that her brain now associated with a killer of men and children; an enigmatic love interest who had been moulded by a kingpin to be an emotionless weapon. Turning over her shoulder to look at him, Kagome saw Inuyasha, _her_ Inuyasha; however, she couldn't help but see a stranger in the same seat. This evening, she had been introduced to a side of him she didn't knew existed. And if she wanted to remain in his life, she needed to find a way to understand and consolidate those two versions of Inuyasha into the man seated behind her.

How could she grow to love a killer? How could she accept that she wanted to let into her heart a man who admitted he burned people alive?

Part of her ached with sympathy for him, for the horrors of a life he had been forced to live. However, despite how much Kagome's brain tried to focus on the fact that Inuyasha truly was a victim in all this, she couldn't stop her mind from drifting to the horrific acts Inuyasha said he had done.

"I see," Miroku replied after a delay, interrupting Kagome's mental confliction. "Did he—"

"—Keep your hand dry, Inuyasha, or those bandages won't do you a lick of good, you hear me? In the morning, I'll reapply the ointment and change the bandages. Don't aggravate the sutures or your wound will be sure to hurt."

Kaede cleared her throat while closing the lid of the medical supply box and connecting the clasp; she wanted to announce her departure, sensing the tone the conversation was about to take, all too aware of an elephant in the room.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Inuyasha groaned, turning his bandaged hand over in his other fist, inspecting the older woman's handy work.

"I bid you all a goodnight," Kaede called, removing her glasses, placing them into a pocket of her dressing gown, and smiling at the other inhabitants of the kitchen. "Try not to make a mess of my kitchen."

Kagome and Sango both smiled at the woman and nodded their heads, offering their thanks and wishing her a good night. After she disappeared from sight, the kitchen remained in an uncomfortably hushed quiet while the group listened to Kaede's padded footfalls disappearing into the larger silence of the house.

Waiting enough time until he was certain the older woman was out of earshot, Miroku opened his mouth to speak. "We should probably take a seat," Miroku sighed out into the silence, keeping his eyes on Sango. "I suspect there's a reason you brought Kagome down here with you, Inuyasha."

"Yeah," Inuyasha called. "There's some shit we need to talk about."

Miroku exhaled heavily as he held out a chair for Sango, his forehead creasing. "I do hope you've considered, Inuyasha, that the openness of the kitchen is quite inappropriate for what you're suggesting. Does the confidentiality and seriousness of the topic really mean—?"

"—Will you just shut up and sit down, Miroku? Right here's good enough. I mean it, before I change my mind."

"Inuyasha," Kagome called, stepping hesitantly towards him, "we don't have to do this. I appreciate everything you've told me in confidence, but if you don't—"

"—Miroku, I want you to tell Kagome about Naraku and the Kuzawari gang. I've told her some, but there are pieces only you can attest to." His face darkened and he angled his head downwards so his eyes were out of Kagome's line of vision. "I just want to get it out in the open, once and for all."

Kagome watched the colour drain from Miroku's cheeks.

"I'm sorry, who?" Sango cried in a chary tone, sliding herself slowly into the seat Miroku had arranged for her.

Inuyasha provided Sango a brief, arguably half-assed, synopsis of what he told Kagome, skipping over the details pertaining to his _adopted_ father, the initiation into the Kuzawari, and Musō. For all Sango knew, Inuyasha had _some dealings_ with a criminal named Naraku but she was kept in the dark about the extent. Despite the limited, shallow information provided to Sango, Miroku grew quite agitated at the idea of Sango being roped into Inuyasha's dangerous history.

"This doesn't involve Sango, Inuyasha," Miroku argued, his cheeks billowing. "She doesn't need to be dragged into this. Kagome, come now, you surely can—"

"Miroku, stop," Sango argued, placing a hand on his arm to physical stop his words. "If Kagome's involved, I'm involved. There's no argument about it. I'm in this too, so just spit it out."

Miroku took a moment to gather his thoughts, his heart racing in his throat. Rubbing an aggravated, disbelieving hand down his face, he shook his head before circling the table and taking the open seat beside Inuyasha. The boys sat on one side of the table, the girls on the other.

"I don't even know where to begin," Miroku sighed. After a moment of his searching the tabletop for a linear formation of his thoughts, Miroku said, "I guess it would make sense for me to first explain how I came to meet Inuyasha."

He sighed once more and then began.

"When I graduated university, my father got me a job as a Research Analyst at Japan's central intelligence agency, _Naikaku Jōhō Chōsashitsu_ , better known for its nickname, Naichō."

"Sure was helpful that Daddy was the Director at the time," Inuyasha guffawed somewhat under his breath.

Miroku took a deep breath to stomach Inuyasha's comment and chose to continue, leaving Inuyasha's remark unaddressed.

"For a few years, my work was really straight forward: I coordinated investigative reports on risk management for various securities or assets for the Deputy Director of Naichō."

"In plain English, Miroku?" Sango prodded.

"In other words, Sango," Inuyasha spoke up, leaning an elbow on the table, "Miroku was given a homework assignment and he researched the shit out of it, and then did a little presentation on it so his buddies who worked out in the field didn't get killed. Did I miss anything, Miroku?"

"No, Inuyasha," Miroku responded, ignoring Inuyasha's facetiousness. "That just about covers it."

"And your assignments or investigative reports were on the Kuzawari?" Kagome inquired, eager to move the conversation along.

"Not at first," Miroku replied. "At least, it took several years of surveillance data crunching for me to finally put two-and-two together to realize how every trafficking scandal in domestic and foreign Asia had Naraku at its root cause.

"When I finally shared those discoveries with the Deputy Director, the Director of Naichō, my father, instituted a Japan-wide campaign to reduce the level of human trafficking reported by law enforcement officials. This is what launched our formal investigation, our task force, into taking down Naraku."

"But, how was human trafficking linked to this Naraku person?" Sango asked, her eyes alternating between Inuyasha and Miroku.

"Several reports of suspected trafficking that were received by either law enforcement or known victims had provided descriptions of a culprit who, based on the descriptions, we believed to be one man. These descriptions were later verified by CCTV to be Naraku."

"But you told me he was the head of this gang," Kagome directed to Inuyasha. "Naraku really went out and got his hands dirty?"

Inuyasha snorted. "Of course he did. It's one of the main ways he was able to obtain such loyalty from the rest of the _kobuns_. He would never send a man to do a job he would be unwilling to do himself. Only in those instances where Naraku needed to use intimidation or force did he send me on his behalf; otherwise, he chipped in just like the rest of us."

Kagome winced at Inuyasha's comment and turned her gaze downwards to the tabletop.

"So, once we started seeing trends of Naraku," Miroku jumped in, reclaiming the narrative and crossing his hands, "my team of Analysts paid a bit more attention to his movements. The more we tracked him the more we got to know other players who worked with him, other players who were known Yakuza members. This was how we discovered he was a central figure in the Kuzawari."

 _Not just a central figure_ , Kagome thought with a frown on her face, _but the_ oyabun _, the head of the whole thing._

"And this involves Inuyasha…how?" Sango inquired, drawing Kagome out of her introspection.

"Naraku didn't just traffic adults, Sango," Miroku began, his tone becoming heightened, "he also trafficked children."

"Alright," Inuyasha snapped, "so we've established that Inuyasha was kidnapped by Naraku to do his bidding— _boo fucking hoo_. Can we continue with the story, Miroku, or what?"

Sango's eye widened at Inuyasha at the revelation so bluntly shared amongst the group. However, Miroku continued speaking before Sango had an opportunity to let the information sink too deeply.

"The more we tracked Naraku, the more able we were to be proactive with his movements, become familiar with implications of events he was planning. The biggest event of my career as an Analyst occurred when one of my long time informants advised us of an incident: the Kuzawari intended to breach the Chinese government to traffic across their borders." Miroku snorted indifferently. "It was the high stakes move my father was waiting for."

"So, what happened?" Kagome leaned forward in her seat, her increasing heart rate noticeable in her chest.

"We were in a position where we knew where Naraku was going to be, and when, beforehand. It was an opportunity we couldn't pass up; capturing Naraku had such significant implications on trafficking the Asian population, not to mention the prestige that would follow from capturing the head of a Yakuza gang offshoot."

Miroku steeled his expression and continued. "My father didn't want to take any chances. He made the executive decision to have me trained as a Field Agent; he was adamant it wasn't enough that I was behind the ear pieces providing guidance. Naichō's Director wanted me at the head of the task force, able to predict and foresee Naraku's every move, then respond accordingly. And why not? I was the subject matter expert; by this time, I had spent three years studying Naraku's movements."

"What happened once you became a field agent?" Sango questioned. "I'm guessing Naichō acted on your informant's information?"

"Yes. My informant met us at the border; however, before we instigated the mission, the informant shared new information: this time, Naraku wasn't just planning on transporting people, but weapons. The informant provided us with the location of the arms warehouse and, without questioning the validity of the information, we pounced. The Director's objective was very clear: my father wanted Naraku's head on a platter."

Miroku licked his lips and took a closed-eye breath. He could feel his throat beginning to ache and rasp.

"Too blinded by our desires to be heroes, nine of us were transported to Nagoya, where this reported dojo was located that housed the weapons, as per the informant. My father, hungry for victory, led the group. But when we got there, it was worse than we thought."

"Worse how, Miroku?" Sango asked after Miroku seemed to withdraw into himself for a moment, delaying the story.

"It wasn't just weapons, but drugs and children we found. It wasn't until we started trying to rescue the kids did we realize it was a trap."

Miroku took a shaky breath and steadied himself for what he was about to say.

"In that moment, my informant was discovered to be one of Naraku's _kobuns_ , a double agent. Naraku had found a way to infiltrate Naichō, and he used our own hubris against us. For years, this informant had laid this elaborate trap for Naraku, slowly working to gain our trust, my trust, to lead us right into the palm of Naraku's hand. All that planning and deceit led us to that moment where Naraku could eliminate the entire task force rather than pick us off one by one. Of the nine of us who entered the dojo, only three of us lived. That was the night my father died."

"Oh my God," Kagome gasped, covering her mouth with her hands.

"Miroku," Sango cried, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand in comfort.

Miroku took a breath, kept his eyes firmly on the table in front of him, and pressed on.

"For the next few months, seeking vengeance on Naraku, on the Kuzawari, was the only thing that got me through the days," Miroku continued, steeling his gaze on the tabletop so he could persevere through his narrative. "Following his death, my father was replaced as Director by this up-and-coming young general from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. He had military, tactical intelligence; however, he was also impulsive. He wanted to do whatever it took to remove the shame that fell on Naichō the day my father died. He was my senior officer, but he was also a mentor. I wanted his respect and I wanted a long leash. It wasn't long before he commanded I was involved in every Kuzawari investigation, debrief, or task force.

"So, with the backing of my new Director, I obsessively poured myself into my vengeance. The dojo was abandoned after the attack; however, I staked it out for days at a time, convinced that Naraku couldn't so easily abandon a central location where he had housed so many trafficking victims and goods.

"After a few weeks, I finally caught my big break. Early one morning, hours before dawn, I witnessed a meeting between two people at the dojo: Naraku and Bankotsu."

"What?" Sango exclaimed. "Inuyasha's _singer_?"

"I understand your sentiments, Sango," Miroku nodded. "I, too, couldn't fathom why a musical celebrity would be meeting with Naraku of all people, especially at that particular location. From that point onward, I spent my free time investigating The Band of Seven, wanting to learn for myself who Bankotsu was and just how he came to know Naraku. If anything was clear, it was that Naraku was up to something, and he was using Bankotsu to accomplish it."

"So, that's how you came to meet Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.

Miroku half-heartedly shrugged. "Inuyasha and I hadn't become acquainted by that time, but I knew of him, yes."

Inuyasha grunted a laugh. "What he means to say is that _I_ knew of _him_. Not-so-subtle Miroku followed along in our entourage for our Asia-wide tour. It wasn't long before I picked up on the fact that he was stalking us; no one received unrestricted access to anything without my being aware of it from Naraku." Inuyasha blurted a laugh in his throat. "I knew something was up with him because he was snooping around, but he wasn't a _kobun_."

"I can imagine that didn't end well for Miroku," Kagome proffered.

Miroku chortled and patted Inuyasha on the back affectionately. "He tried to use his art of persuasion—"

"—Violence—" Inuyasha substituted.

"—to get me to leave him alone, but I begged Inuyasha to hear me out."

"But unbeknownst to you, Miroku, Inuyasha was a _kobun_ ," Kagome commented sadly.

"That's correct," Miroku sighed. "But in time he shared that knowledge with me. What I came to learn about Inuyasha, was that he hated Naraku just as much—"

"—Feh! If not _more_ —" Inuyasha interjected.

"—as me," Miroku concluded.

"How did you reach that conclusion?" Sango probed.

"I can answer that one," Inuyasha guffawed. "He straight out asked me if the band had any involvement with Naraku and the Kuzawari. He stated he had photographic evidence that Bankotsu was involved and he wanted my help in using Bankotsu to get to Naraku."

"That's bold," Kagome chuckled.

"You can hardly blame me," Miroku remarked, "having witnessed Bankotsu and Naraku in a suggestive predicament, only to later witness Naraku himself trailing the band around on several instances. They were so clearly connected I just needed to find how or for what purpose."

"So, Inuyasha let you stick around?"

Miroku nodded. "Yes, Kagome, he did. He ended up restricting some of my access, but it was better that than returning to Naichō a failure. You see, Inuyasha's primary concern was that _kobuns_ who acted out Naraku's bidding, thanks to the band's travel plans, would know my identity, or knew what happened at the dojo with my father and the task force. For months Inuyasha and I met and spoke in private; discretion was of the absolute importance."

"Yet Naraku was the furthest thing from discreet, though," Sango stated, her tone laced with confusion. "How could Naraku so blatantly and shamelessly put himself in those public situations, like being seen on CCTV or photographed at a band event? I don't get it."

"Trafficking has such a rising prevalence due to the illusive nature of the crime, Sango, and the difficulty in prosecuting such cases," Miroku answered. "Unless we had irrefutable proof that Naraku was the sole mastermind behind the illegal transport and sales of weapons, drugs, and people, we can only continue to follow him hoping he'll eventually screw up. It was for this reason the Director wanted me to stay on top of Inuyasha. He was certain that at some point Naraku would make contact with Bankotsu once more."

"But, Inuyasha, I thought you told me that you had the reporting relationship with Naraku?" Kagome inquired. "When did he replace you with Bankotsu?"

Inuyasha snorted indignantly. "The argument at the time was that I was more famous than Bankotsu, and easier to pick out of a crowd. Naraku was convinced that his meeting with me would be more obvious than him meeting with Bankotsu."

"In retrospect, Inuyasha," Miroku stated thoughtfully, "it turns out that worked out better for your claiming wilful ignorance once you came under our protection."

Inuyasha merely nodded in response.

"So back up a second, Inuyasha," Sango called sitting forward in her chair. "Where did this comradery between you and Miroku come from? He asked you if the band was involved with the Kuzawari, and then—"

"—And I told Miroku that if he could help me escape the Family, I would personally deliver him Naraku with a pretty little bow. So long as he kept his nose out of my business and kept his head low, I said I would help him. The Kuzawari has a strict code on betrayal; if anyone had the smallest suspicion of what we were doing, it would have meant a Burning Ritual."

"Burning Rit—?" Sango began to question, but Inuyasha cut her off and disregarded her question entirely. Sango tried to share a inquiring glance with Kagome, but Kagome kept her eyes firmly glued on her clasped hands in front of her.

"I was fucking done with them," Inuyasha bellowed, his eyes dark, "and it was either die a _kobun_ or aid Naichō and get rid of Naraku. The choice seemed kinda obvious."

"So you willingly became his informant," Sango synopsized.

"Yes."

"And you didn't see the harm in trusting another _kobun_ given what happened with your last informant, Miroku?"

"Sango!" Kagome gasped, shocked with the lack of candor her friend used to speak her mind. Kagome, too, realized that it didn't reflect well on Miroku's character that he so blindingly trusted Inuyasha, but she didn't think Sango needed to voice that so _bluntly_.

"No, Kagome, Sango has a valid point. It was foolish of me to brashly put my faith in Inuyasha when he was so open with me about his history with Naraku. But, once again, I was a desperate young man presented with a carrot on a stick. My new Director wanted my constant surveillance on Inuyasha, and the more I remained around the band members, the more likely I was to know when Naraku contacted them. The Director didn't trust Inuyasha, and ordered me to give him a very short leash. Pardon the pun, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha merely rolled his eyes.

"The situation couldn't have arranged itself more perfectly," Miroku continued. "I had the Director's leave, his orders really, to supervise Inuyasha while he helped me bring down Naraku. It was an obvious _quid pro quo_ : Inuyasha wanted away from Naraku and would have done anything to escape the Kuzawari, and I wanted Naraku and would have done anything to capture him."

"So what was your plan? I don't mean to sound negative," Kagome began, licking her lips, "but I'm guessing you weren't successful since I overheard the two of you after dinner. I—" Kagome paused to tuck a strand of hair behind her ears in embarrassment. "—I heard Inuyasha say that Naraku has re-emerged and is now looking for revenge against him."

Miroku shot Inuyasha an unimpressed glance. "I told you it was reckless having that conversation so openly!"

"Oh, get down off your high horse, Miroku," Inuyasha sneered. "But yeah, the plan was fucking compromised because Naraku recognized Miroku before we could action anything."

"You make it sound like it was so blatantly my fault, Inuyasha. I clearly recall—"

"—You second-guessed me at that deal with Kyokotsu, Miroku! Your precious Director panicked and freaked at you for letting me go alone, and you felt obligated to check up on me. Do us all a favour and call a spade a fucking spade. You didn't trust me to go with Kyokotsu to collect the goods, but your showing up fucked the whole thing up."

"Hold on," Kagome cried out, gesturing with her hands, "so you're saying that Inuyasha went with Kyokotsu to meet with Naraku, and Miroku just showed up?"

"Pretty much," Inuyasha snorted.

Miroku rolled his eyes. "I didn't just walk in through the front door, Inuyasha. I had all the key players in one room together with unquestionable proof that Naraku was handing off trafficked goods to Kyokotsu to distribute. The Director ordered we move, and we did."

"So what was your plan if Miroku didn't show up, Inuyasha?" Sango asked. "Kill Naraku yourself?"

Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "It wouldn't have been the first time it was three on one. I could have taken them all out."

"Three on one?" Kagome questioned.

Inuyasha nodded. "Naraku hadn't told me he planned on having Bankotsu present. I think it was primarily because Kyokotsu was a gargantuan fucking idiot, and Naraku wanted him babysat so the deal didn't go sideways."

Kagome covered her face with her hand and shook her head. This was all too much.

"Anyway, I will continue, shall I?" Miroku inquired, receiving nods from both females.

"The Director's new task force arrived on the scene, and somehow our positioning was discovered by one of Naraku's security details." Miroku sighed, "The entire situation was a calamity. We hadn't known ahead of time that Bankotsu would be present for this exchange as well. Despite our best efforts, when Naraku was informed that Naichō was there, he and Bankotsu both escaped. The only silver lining at the time was that Kyokotsu had been taken down because he was caught red-handed with the merchandise."

"So, that's how he was caught with the heroin," Sango remarked thoughtfully. "Slightly more dramatic than the trial made it seem."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the comment.

"It was a sloppy execution of a mission," Miroku sighed after a moment, flexing his one hand. "But having been so close to my revenge, I simply wouldn't let Naraku get away without a chase, so I followed him. Blinded by the desire for vengeance, I failed to read the situation, and I walked right into trouble. You see, Bankotsu had been waiting for me with two _kobun_ at his side. Two officers later found the four of us, the two _kobuns_ dead at our feet. Thanks to Bankotsu's exhaustion, my team was successful in apprehending Bankotsu. I was airlifted to hospital due to my wounds."

Inuyasha sighed aggressively. "I doubt you girls ever noticed the problems Miroku has with his right hand. It's 'cause Bankotsu almost fully cut this idiot's hand clean off."

Miroku flexed his hand again. Kagome's eyes scoured his wrist to find scar tissue she had never before had grounds to notice. Was it because she never paid attention or because Miroku had had years of experience drawing attention away from it?

"There's considerable nerve damage," Miroku sighed, "and most days I can't feel my fingertips, and my strength will never fully return to it, but at least I didn't lose the hand."

"I can't believe this," Sango cried, a hand to her mouth.

"Once Bankotsu and Kyokotsu were behind bars," Miroku continued, "it was only a matter of time before the other members followed."

"Except for Inuyasha."

Miroku nodded at Sango. "Except for Inuyasha. As the Director promised, Inuyasha was granted legal immunity for his help in bringing down the Kuzawari _oyabun_."

"What? Wait a second," Kagome called. "I thought Naraku got away?"

"He did," Miroku agreed. "You see—"

"—That fucking idiot of a Director," Inuyasha interrupted, "decided there was enough proof that incriminated Bankotsu as the _oyabun_. Calls were traced to Bankotsu; orders were signed by him. It was fucking negligence."

Miroku leaned forward to address the confused looks on the girls' faces. "From a government securities perspective, the Director was content. Naraku was disregarded as a tool of Bankotsu's, the incriminating parties were in prison, and the public had accepted the cover story that the members of the Band distributed drugs because Bankotsu had a history of gang involvement."

"But where was Inuyasha in the mix?"

Sango turned to Kagome. "At no point during the investigation or the trial did anyone address Inuyasha's involvement. It was a question mark throughout the whole trial."

"Ah, yes," Miroku nodded, crossing his arms, "the _no comment_ campaign."

Kagome blinked her eyes in confusion. "The what?"

"The only statement Inuyasha, or anyone on behalf of Inuyasha, was ever allowed to make when asked _anything_ about the case was 'no comment'. It was Naichō's way of ensuring Inuyasha didn't reveal something he wasn't supposed to."

"Like legal immunity."

Miroku nodded at Kagome. "Like legal immunity."

"So," Sango began, "Bankotsu took the brunt of the blame; was that staged by Naraku, do you think?"

"We don't know," Miroku replied earnestly. "It may be logical to presume so. For ten years he hadn't been seen or heard from. Even the Kuzawari seemed to go underground."

"So, what changed?"

"Naraku is a symbolic bastard," Inuyasha spat. "Milestones are important to him. That asshole was probably spending the last ten years working on his revenge plan for the tenth anniversary of when all this shit went down."

"Do you know Naraku has resurfaced because you still work for Naichō, Miroku?"

Miroku laughed. "Not even remotely, Kagome. I resigned from Naichō immediately once the trial ended. Fortunately for me, Inuyasha took pity on this poor cripple and offered me a job. I can't say I've ever really relied too much on my Statistics or Computer Science degrees, but I'm quite thankful for his friendship and this gallant opportunity."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at how prestigious Miroku made his role sound. "You're a PA, Miroku, not the president."

"As it turned out, despite the fact I was no longer employed by Naichō, the Director was pleased with this arrangement as well because they felt that someone who _knew_ was keeping an eye on Inuyasha. However, now that Naichō has reassembled their task force, they seem to have forgotten I want nothing to do with this case. The death of my father and almost losing an appendage, not to mention my life almost, was more than enough for me."

"I guess even the Director of Naichō can't ignore the public media about the band members coming after Inuyasha and Kagome," Sango sighed.

Miroku nodded. "That, and the algorithms I created as an Analyst for tracking Kuzawari activities have revealed movement again."

"You said Naichō reassembled their task force?"

"Yes," Miroku concurred. "They've reached out to Inuyasha and myself to get an understanding of what's happening, if it could really be Naraku."

"But why me?" Kagome asked after a short lull in the conversation. "I can understand someone justifying revenge for betrayal, but I haven't done anything to Naraku or any of those guys in jail. Why have I been roped into this?"

Inuyasha released a heavy exhale and sat back in his chair. "Not wanting to give the bastard any credit, but Naraku's greatest skill was being able to manipulate a person based on their weaknesses. It's," Inuyasha paused to take a breath, "it's one of the key things I had been taught growing up. You extort someone to discover their weakness and then you fuck with them long enough until you slowly break them down until they're pathetic enough it's not much of a fight."

"What Inuyasha means, Kagome," Miroku jumped in, "is that we believe Naraku has identified you as Inuyasha's weakness, and they are using you to get to him."

"I guess that makes sense," Sango sighed ruefully. "I mean, the media has obsessed over a potential love interest for months now. Naraku would just be going off of public knowledge."

"And putting your life in immediate danger, like a car chase, is just the type of test Naraku would use to bait Inuyasha."

Kagome's shoulders slumped. "So, you're saying Inuyasha's coming after me that time was the nail in the coffin for him."

"Maybe not the final nail _per se_ , but they certainly would feel that their suspicions were confirmed that if they go after you, Kagome, Inuyasha will come to your aid."

Kagome's cheeks felt hot.

"Regardless of what they intend to do with Kagome, it won't fucking happen," Inuyasha snapped. "Naraku won't rest until he personally builds my pyre or I put the bastard six feet underground. I don't expect he'll live long enough to make another attempt to hurt Kagome."

"But what—"

Kagome couldn't help the scream that left her lips at the sound of something large and heavy crashing to the floor upstairs, shaking the ceiling above their heads.

Sango instinctively reached for Kagome. Inuyasha sprung to his feet and raced out of the room, lunging towards the staircase, taking the steps two or three at a time. Catching his breath on the landing of the fourth floor, Inuyasha heard curt swear words, and a flurry of shuffling paper, beckoning him down the hall. Inuyasha didn't waste any time.

Running down the hallway, Inuyasha used the palm of his hand to push open the door to his father's office, the room from where the crash had come.

The wall-mounted floating cabinet that Inuyasha's father had used to store his paperwork was on the floor. The drywall revealed hefty cracks, holes, and chipped paint from where the cabinet had fallen.

Souta was on his hands and knees, scurrying to gather the hundreds of papers that had flown out of the cabinet as it fell, once it had fallen.

"What the fuck do you think you're _doing_!?"

Souta didn't have an opportunity to even mouth an apology or an explanation before Inuyasha grabbed him from the collar of his shirt and hoisted him to his feet.


	26. Interloper

**Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Interloper_

* * *

One Hour Earlier

* * *

All his life Souta found it easier to fall asleep when his surroundings were as silent as the grave. Finding himself under his lifelong role model's roof on this particular evening, however, had made sleep evasive, regardless how quiet the house felt.

Previously fighting to keep his eyes open once he, Miroku, and Sango had returned to the leisure room, Souta now found himself undeniably awake, not an ounce of sleepiness to be found in his body. Sighing audibly and patting an abstract rhythm on his belly, Souta's eyes darted back and forth across the ceiling. The house shuffled between periods of quiet and slightly _less_ quiet. Souta's ears could never quite distinguish or identify the noises made in other parts of the house, but it was noise enough that Souta knew others were stirring.

Thinking he would be caught if he got up and wandered, like he wanted to, Souta remained stationary in the bed, and had done so for the last fifteen minutes.

But his mind would not stop taunting him that he was in _Inuyasha's_ house!

Souta could feel his heart beating in his belly and anticipation coursing through his veins. He wanted to explore the house more than anything. He wanted to be the first fan to _really_ get to know Inuyasha. He wanted to see a side of his hero that no one else saw. Staying in bed wasn't going to give him access to anything, and the more he thought about that the antsier he felt.

Sighing once more, Souta sat up like a shot and flung his legs over the side of the bed. His limbs were starting to feel irritable from his internal debate. If Kagome were here, she would tell him to _not even think about it_ , and to some extent Souta knew, deep down, that it was wrong to go through Inuyasha's belongings without permission. But, willpower and desire were funny states in that particular moment, and before the rational side of his brain retaliated any further, Souta reached for his jeans that had been discarded on the floor, slid into them one leg at a time, and he tiptoed towards the bedroom door.

His hand on the doorknob, he found himself in another period of absolute silence.

Steeling his resolve, Souta decided that, if caught, he would just use the excuse he was looking for the bathroom. After all, in a house this big? No one could argue any different.

Opening the door carefully so the hinges wouldn't squeal, Souta furrowed his brow, as if the action would exaggerate his hearing. He could detect faint sounds of movement and voices in the lower regions of the house, but he couldn't make out anything clearly. To his untrained ear, it was just the monotonous drone of low frequency human conversation.

Stepping into the unfamiliar hallway, Souta couldn't completely recall being escorted by Miroku to the guest room. Souta remembered climbing what felt like hundreds of stairs to get to the fourth floor, but this hallway looked foreign to him. He could appreciate that Miroku may have thought putting Souta in the topmost corner of the house was a considerate gesture to ensure Souta's sleep wasn't disturbed; however, at the same time, Souta couldn't help but feel like he was intentionally put in a corner to be out of the way. But, out of the way of _what_ Souta didn't know.

Kagome and Inuyasha had run from the leisure room so quickly, Souta initially sniggered and thought his elder sibling and role model were just excusing themselves for some lovey dovey, inappropriate alone time. But, the shouting from the stairway alerted the rest of the room that something was clearly wrong between the two, and Souta knew Kagome well enough to understand exactly what her tone meant. Pausing the movie, he had felt dumbfounded as Sango and then Miroku tore from the room. Concern for his sister all he knew in that moment, Souta followed suit.

Standing at the bottom of the stairs, Souta had looked up helplessly, catching eyes with Sango who shook her head at Souta, advising him that he needed to stay completely out of this. Helpless and uncomfortable in a stranger's home, Souta had wandered back into the leisure room, the horror movie paused at a ridiculous moment and the once comfortable recliner now just too plushy and suffocating. In the following minutes, there were a few sounds that startled Souta, but before he could get out of his seat to investigate, Sango and Miroku returned wrapped up in a curt, whispered conversation. Souta had asked if everything was fine with Kagome and Inuyasha, and Miroku seemed to force a smile, cracked some joke about a lover's quarrel, and stated Souta should disregard what he may hear; Kagome was safe. Thinking that to be an odd thing to say to comfort Souta, but knowing his sister well enough to know she could look after herself, he sat back in the chair compliantly. The moment not feeling right enough for him to resume the film, Souta pulled his phone from his pocket and merely occupied some time on Reddit. When the house had been still for a while, he couldn't fight back the yawns anymore, and Miroku had shown Souta to the guest room.

Now, here he was, feeling shameless and delinquent as he tiptoed his way from his quarantine to stand dormant on the fourth floor's landing. From his crow's nest view of the foyer, Souta felt open to the rest of the house.

Souta held his breath, expecting any minute to hear someone call his name or shout at him. However, his exposed position didn't seem to expose him at all, and Souta stood full of adrenaline, his heartbeat loud in his ears in the house's present silence. Initially, his intent had been to find Inuyasha's studio, a place that Miroku alluded to but had not shown to Souta on the tour of the house. Souta's eyes catching on a closed door at the end of the hallway in front of him, he searched his recent memory of the tour and tried to remember what that room contained; however, Souta widened his eyes and grinned in recognition that Inuyasha had claimed that room _off limits_.

 _I bet that could be it_ …Souta bemusedly thought as his socked feet brought him closer towards the room in question.

Resting his palm on the doorknob, Souta made a silent promise to his sister that he wouldn't touch anything. Turning the knob in his hand, Souta couldn't stifle the smirk that overtook his face at hearing Kagome's voice in his head.

 _Look with your eyes and not with your hands, Souta! You better not damage anything. If you do, don't expect me to ask Inuyasha to be nice to you!_

 _I know, Sis, I know. I'll be good. I promise. I just want to see his studio; maybe take a picture or two on my phone._

The Kagome voice in his head scoffed. _And do what with the picture? Sell it for a cheap buck to the newspapers and magazines?_

 _No, it's for my own eyes only. Like a souvenir! Well, maybe I'd show a few of the guys if they didn't believe me when I told them I was in Inuyasha's recording studio!_

A noise echoing from the lower parts of the house caused Souta to freeze, the door open merely inches in front of him. There weren't any steps on the stairs that he could hear, but Souta bore his eyes into the dark, expecting to see a person emerge any second to tell him off for snooping.

Seconds passing, and Souta's adrenaline calming down slightly, Souta sighed and turned his attention back to the door. Opening the door quickly, Souta stepped into the darkness of the room and shut the door behind him.

So long as he stayed quiet, no one would ever expect to look for him in here.

Not wanting to turn on the overhead light and draw attention to the room—should said light be visible from the cracks of the door—Souta pulled his cellphone from his pocket and turned on the Torch.

Souta's shoulders sunk in disappointment. It was an office. A standard office.

Souta shriveled his nose and mouthed a soundless, _Ah man!_

Angling the phone around the room, Souta observed platinum and gold records on the wall belonging to The Band of Seven. Souta smiled as he stared at the platinum record the band received for their single, The Tale of Banryū. Tempted to hum the catchy guitar riff, but thinking it best he stay as silent as possible, Souta sang the song to himself in his mind and nodded along in time to the beat.

Using his phone to look around the boring room, Souta couldn't understand why Inuyasha had been so serious about keeping them out of this room on the tour. It really was just a dusty, dreary old office. If anything, Souta couldn't fathom why, if this room was so important to Inuyasha, he wouldn't keep the door locked.

Souta took a few steps towards the large, old fashioned-looking wooden desk. The embellished, curved legs gave the desk an air of royalty. Souta could only imagine how many hundreds of pounds the thing weighed. His eyes searching the desk for a sign of anything interesting, the bright, white light of his phone gave the room a spooky ambiance, speckles of dust floating around his vision.

His eyes focused past the dust speckles, trying to make out the objects on the desk's surface; however, thick dust the colour of stale, dried Dijon mustard settled like a second skin on the surface of everything. Heading over toward the vestibule on the side of the room, Souta gripped the little black knob and tried to open it, but the door wouldn't budge. Souta pouted and turned to face the desk once more.

Something glinted underneath the desk in reflection from his phone's light and drew Souta's attention; he crouched down in front of the beastly table to get a better look. Souta could make out a few shards of glass and he promptly searched for traces of a broken window or picture frame or anything interesting like that; however, he didn't find anything out of the ordinary. Unbeknownst to Souta, however, was that this was a shard the cleaning staff had missed once they cleaned up—as much as Inuyasha would let them—following Inuyasha's altercation in that room with Ginkotsu.

Circling the desk, Souta happened to look up and notice for the first time the swords on the wall. He couldn't help the _Cool!_ that escaped his lips as he angled his neck to try and get a better look. From where he stood, Souta could make out a silver nameplate; however, because of the phone's bright reflection, he couldn't read the embossment. Looking quickly for a step stool and realizing there wasn't one, Souta consented to standing on the desk, which would place him at eye level with the swords.

While climbing onto the desk, and then standing stable and erect, Souta made a mental reminder to wipe the desk clean of his footmarks before he left. Deciding that plan effectively covered his butt before he left the office for his room, Souta fully turned his attention to the swords.

It took all of his willpower to keep his hands to himself. Biting his tongue with wide eyes, Souta marveled the masterly crafted weapons.

The ancient swords crossed at the hilts and stood formidably mounted against the wooden plaque. Holding the phone in front of him to better his view, Souta could make out the Taisho name finely etched in kanji characters in the wood at the top. The nameplate had the same dull sheen as the swords; however, blowing the dust away best he could, Souta found he was just able to read the engraving.

 _Life and death are illusions, and we are in a constant state of transformation. All men will find their foot upon the threshold of two paths—Tessaiga, death; Tenseiga, life. The choice will be made by you or for you. The most blessed of men are the ones who choose._

 _What the hell does that mean?_ Souta asked himself, using the forearm of the hand that clutched his phone to rub the goosebumps away from the other. There was something chilling and eerie about the inscription that Souta just couldn't put his finger on.

Turning to his left, prepared to jump down from his perch atop the desk, Souta first spied the floating cabinet.

"Hello…" Souta hoarsely whispered, inching closer to the edge of the desk.

Tucking his phone between his cheek and shoulder, Souta held his breath as he reached for the cabinet, his fingers landing upon the cool metal. Sticking two fingers under the latch, Souta let out a small cheer when the door met no resistance and he was able to slide it open. Not sure what he was doing, what he was looking for, or what he was hoping to find, Souta came to the conclusion that he was already in this far and there was no point in turning back now.

He could only imagine the terse words Kagome would have to say about this.

Pushing thoughts of his sister's chagrin from his mind, Souta focused his attention on the hanging cabinet's open door. He couldn't help but raise his eyebrows at seeing that contained within the large unit was merely a manila envelope. There was something enticing about that envelope to Souta, whether it was its weathered look, or its plumpness, or the thin red-string that bound the envelope closed. Licking his lips and sliding his hand underneath the folder, Souta had to brace himself, not expecting the folder to be so heavy. It had to be at least three or four inches thick, entirely filled with paper.

Pulling the folder towards him, Souta's eyes absorbed the _I.T._ written in stocky, bold font on the front in a thick marker. Seating himself on the desk, his legs swinging over the edge, Souta turned the folder over in his hands, two thoughts running through this mind.

Either this folder contained computer-related materials—maybe he could even finally get the WIFI password—or the contents were related to Inuyasha.

 _I.T._

Inuyasha Taisho.

Curious, Souta unbound the red-string and pulled the paper contents onto his lap.

The entire stack was composed of handwritten notes on standard 8.5 by 11 papers or clippings from dated magazine or newspaper articles. To Souta's young mind, there was nothing sane or sound about the papers through which he riffled; the writing on every page seemed just as random as someone doodling absently while in class or making hectic notes during a phone call. Words, numbers, dates, names and other scrawling filled up page after page, horizontally, vertically, diagonally, in all shapes and sizes.

One sheet looked like a completed to-do list. Another looked like an address book.

Closer to the back of the stack, Souta gripped a small stack of stapled papers in both hands, the remainder of the pile resting on his lap. The paper was thick and rigid, not the cheap stuff you'd find at your local library.

 _This Extension Agreement ("Agreement") is made and effective the 21_ _st_ _day of September, 2003,_

 _BETWEEN: Naikaku Jōhō Chōsashitsu, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly of Japan,_

 _AND: The Honourable Tōga Taisho at the address of one, Sengoku Manor._

"Who the hell is Tōga Taisho?" Souta incredulously asked himself. "That couldn't be…Inuyasha's dad?"

Souta's eyes hovered over the address. It was public knowledge that Inuyasha inherited Sengoku Manor from his father after his dad passed away. Souta felt his heart thud with that new knowledge, convinced that this Tōga Taisho was Inuyasha's deceased father. His eyes then circled the word 'honourable'.

 _Aren't judges referred to as 'Your Honour'?_ Souta pondered. _Was Inuyasha's dad a judge?_

Souta's eyes skimmed the remaining of the legalese contained in the agreement letter. What company is _Naikaku Jōhō Chōsashitsu_? Souta had never heard of it before. Running the pad of his thumb over the embossed footer on the bundled pages, Souta's eyes skimmed the letter. It was a contract extension for a two-year term as member of the board. Not able to make any further sense of the document, Souta repositioned his phone, placed the contract on the desk beside him, and continued sifting through the papers.

"Known whereabouts…" Souta read aloud, finding one page actually titled. There had to be at least sixteen different towns or addresses here, some of which sounded American. "Hm…"

Souta flipped to the next page. It looked like another crossed-off to-do list, but this one looked different than the one from earlier. Holding the paper closer to his face, Souta realized the crossed-off items were names.

"Who are these people?"

Souta counted. There were forty-six in total, and all had been crossed out. But, it wasn't the names that made Souta uncomfortable, it was the one word written beside each name that caused a chill to run down his spine.

Shoko Asahara _Drowned._

Yuko Koshimori _Burned._

Kakuei Tanaka _Burned._

Bernard Madoff _Decapitated._

Musō Onigumo _Burned._

Not able to identify any of the names, Souta gulped past the lump in his throat and discarded the paper from his hand. Without being able to speak to why, Souta suddenly felt as if he shouldn't be doing what he was doing. Dread lay heavy in the pit of his stomach.

Holding some of the papers to his stomach in an attempt to keep the pile organized, Souta fingered some smaller pages, most of which were rectangular or square cut-outs from a newspaper. Thankfully, a majority of the clippings were held together with a paperclip. Adjusting his phone from its perch between his cheek and neck, Souta stretched his neck, beginning to feel an ache fester, and then repositioned the phone on his other shoulder. Sitting up straight, Souta placed the large pile of papers on the desktop beside him and unclipped the small papers. He held them only a few inches away from his face so he could sift through them and read the titles, the aged paper appearing translucent in the bright phone light.

 _Florist's giveaway encourages 'good neighbours'_

 _Local flower shop recognized for humanitarian efforts_

 _Human Interest Story: Izayoi Taisho_

"Taisho…" Souta mumbled, his eyes circling the name trying to place it. He determined it must be some kind of relative of Inuyasha's. A part of his mind reflected on the document belonging to Inuyasha's father that Souta had just seen. Could this be an article about Inuyasha's other parent? His mother? Souta didn't have anything to substantiate that query, but a growing discomfort in his stomach made him feel like he was onto something.

Placing the remaining articles on his lap, Souta skimmed through the first few paragraphs of the human-interest story.

 _Many have vocalized their concerns about the increase in refugees making central Japan their home; however, Izayoi Taisho is one of the few voices in opposition to that statement. The forty-eight year old local florist has been making waves for her charitable work creating jobs for refugees and her campaign to raise awareness for refugee rights. Taisho recently announced plans to start a not-for-profit organization providing skills development and counselling for landed refugees or new immigrants to Japan._

" _It's a basic human right, the entitlement to have food, shelter, and offering protection to one's children," Izayoi said in her last interview with ARAMA Magazine. "We need to reassess our capacity for helping others. Who really knows what these people are experiencing? Most of the refugee women I've come to know just want to make enough money to go back to their home country and find their lost children. Why wouldn't I offer them a job to help them with that goal? Who really knows what that's like? To lose a child? Losing my own son all those years ago has allowed me to empathize with these women. Not knowing what has happened to your loved one is one of the most traumatic experiences anyone can face."_

Growing frustrated at his inability to better understand Izayoi's relationship to Inuyasha, Souta continued flipping through the articles in his bundle.

 _Taisho NPO scheduled for opening in November_

 _2 dead after 'very nasty' fire in Inkebukoro_

Souta almost did a double take after the last title and swallowed a mouthful of saliva before bringing the document closer to his face to read.

 _Local humanitarian and refugee rights activist Izayoi Taisho was reported dead on Thursday when the office of her not-for-profit organization in Inkebukoro burned down in a fire that Fire Marshal Kasai Hinata described as "very nasty". Witnesses reported the fire late Wednesday night, and local fire authorities responded promptly to try to put out the 100-foot flames; however, by Thursday morning, the body of Taisho and one other unidentifiable individual were found. A volunteer firefighter described the damage as "irreparable". At this time, Hinata and his team have identified poor electrical wiring as the cause of the fire; however, further investigations are pending._

Souta reached for his phone and dropped his hand in his lap, his jeans becoming a distorted brown from the brightness of the muffled phone light in his lap. The darkness felt overwhelming around him as Souta stared forward into nothing, his brain too busy processing to understand what he had just discovered.

A spike of activity bellowing from the lower extremities of the house caused Souta to jump, his hand brushing the papers and causing a few of them to plummet to the floor. Sliding off the desk, Souta rearranged the papers, still feeling discombobulated.

 _Poor Izayoi_ …Souta thought. Deciding he had had enough, he stuffed the paperwork back into the manila folder and retied the red string. _Life really isn't fair_ …

Climbing atop the desk once more, Souta rehoused the folder where he had found it, his eyes lingering on the open cabinet. Observing the large presence that manila envelope conveyed, Souta stood in silence, his eyes turning to the second unopened door in the cabinet.

His hunger to know was curdling within his gut.

He wanted to make sense of what he had just seen. Who were all those people crossed off on that sheet? Why did that list record, what Souta interpreted as, how those people died? Souta wanted to believe it was perhaps a research project, but something more sinister poked its way from the back of his mind and he had to stop that thought dead in its tracks. What was that organization for which Inuyasha's dad was a board member? Was Izayoi actually Inuyasha's mom like Souta's gut told him? Had Inuyasha seen these papers? Was he the one who made those notes? Kept that information contained in the cabinet?

Souta's eyes bore holes into the unopened second door of the cabinet.

If he had learned so much from that first door alone, he wondered how many answers that second door would contain. His eyes ping-ponged between the open first door and the manila envelope, and the second unopened door.

Positioning his toe at the absolute corner of the desk, Souta held his breath and reached for the second door of the hanging file. His fingertips could just barely reach the metal. Releasing a breath, Souta reached again, feeling the pull in his shoulder as he strained to reach the door.

Overextending himself, too focused on juggling his balance and his reach, Souta's phone dropped from his grasp and thudded on the floor. Startled by the sound, Souta's eyes turned downwards to see where the device had landed; however, the momentary distraction caused his body to falter and Souta felt himself falling forward. With nothing to grasp to keep himself from falling to the floor, Souta gripped the bottom lip of the hanging cabinet with his one hand, immediately mimicking the action with his other. His lower body fell away from the desk and for a moment the cabinet was the only thing keeping Souta's body from an embrace with the floor.

However, gravity was unkind then, as the sudden pull from Souta's body weight tore the drywall anchors from the wall, and both Souta and the hanging cabinet fell to the floor.

The crash was deafening.

In the hanging cabinet's descent, the second door blew open, showering unbound papers into the air, fluttering around Souta's vision from his position on his back. The house came alive quickly after that moment.

Footsteps on the stairs. Muddled voices. The panic that overtook Souta was debilitating.

"Shit, shit, _shit_!" He cursed, getting on his hands and knees trying to gather the paperwork into a pile. His phone had landed light-side down so Souta really had no idea how effective, if at all, his scrambling was.

Souta had never felt as guilty or ashamed as when he finally heard the door fly open and the blindness that followed from the overhead light.

"What the fuck do you think you're _doing_!?"

At the same time Souta felt himself being pulled to his feet by the collar of his shirt, he heard his sister bellowing Inuyasha's name.

"I'm sorry!" Souta blubbered, feeling tears gathering in his throat as the neck of his crew shirt dug into his esophagus. "Inuyasha, I didn't mean—"

"Were you snooping through my shit, you little twerp!?"

Souta closed his eyes to try to stifle his panic. "N-no, well, yes, I mean—"

"Inuyasha!"

Kagome's voice was a welcome one in the moment, and Souta turned grateful, apologetic eyes towards her.

Kagome couldn't hide the horror on her face at the sight in front of her: the disaster of paper everywhere, the damage to the wall where the hanging cabinet had been, and Inuyasha grasping Souta's shirt in a tightly clenched fist.

"Inuyasha, let him go!" Kagome cried. "Souta! What the _hell_ were you doing in here?"

Inuyasha fell mute as his eyes scoured the room. His rage felt hot and searing underneath his skin. Grinding his teeth, Inuyasha's eyes roamed the discarded papers, realizing that not even he had gone through his father's paperwork. The owner of Sengoku Manor for all these years and Inuyasha never had the guts to clean up his father's personal and work-related documents. Tōga Taisho died several years ago, and yet his office was just how he left it on the day he went to work and never came home.

How many times had Inuyasha hovered outside the door and wanted desperately to go inside and examine the paperwork that would help him discover who his father was, what kind of man his father was. Inuyasha had heard the stories, but he wanted the truth. Yet, Inuyasha was always scared of the truth his father represented; he feared that his father really could have been the kind of man the rumours made him out to be. So he kept the door closed, forbade anyone from ever going in and disturbing anything. Inuyasha wanted to protect the little privacy his father maintained after death.

But now, his father's personal paperwork was everywhere, accessible to Kagome's eyes, this brat's eyes. God only knows just how much that kid had seen, how much he now knew about Inuyasha, his father, and his twisted family history.

The thought that this kid knew more about Inuyasha's own father than Inuyasha did made Inuyasha see a pure, white rage.

"We can fix this, Inuyasha," Kagome claimed, lowering herself to gather some papers in her hands. "I'm so, so sorry for my brother's idiotic actions. I'm mortified. Please, Inuyasha. We can fix all of this."

"Don't fucking touch anything," Inuyasha spat, gruffly releasing Souta's shirt with a shove. Inuyasha felt the familiar rush of blinding anger breeding within his chest and he clenched his fist, as if shaking hands with an old friend.

"I really am sorry," Souta cried, offering Inuyasha a quick bow to hide the tears that prickled in the corners of his eyes.

"Souta—" Kagome sighed, shaking her head as she stood, her small pile of papers looking pitiful amongst the remainder of the mess.

Before another word could leave her mouth, Kagome watched with wide, confused eyes as Souta tried to leave the room, but was promptly stopped by Inuyasha blocking the doorway. Her stomach quivering as she tried to register the unknown expression on Inuyasha's face, Kagome took a protective step closer to her brother.

"Inuyasha, he said he was sorry. I'm not condoning what he's done by any means; he will certainly be paying for the damages, but—"

"—What did you see?"

The question Inuyasha posed Souta stole the words once more from Kagome's lips.

"You must have been snooping in here for a while, am I right? I won't ask you again—what exactly did you see?"

The iciness in Inuyasha's words brought goosebumps to Kagome's arms.

Souta's hands were shaking and he turned his eyes to the floor. "I—I saw some names on a piece of paper. Uh—uhm, I saw a contract of some kind but I don't know for what. And, I uh—a new—news story," Souta stuttered, "about some woman who died in a fire. Izayoi."

The fire that lit in Inuyasha's eyes at the mention of his mother's name caused another wave of fear to spike in Souta's body.

"Don't fucking say her name," Inuyasha growled.

Souta nodded. "I'm sorry."

Inuyasha snorted and leaned against the doorframe crossing his arms. "You're only sorry because you got caught, don't fucking lie to me, brat."

"Inuyasha," Kagome stated curtly, her hands at her sides. "I really am sorry about all of this, but you don't need to be rude to my brother. He's apologized for his actions, he _will_ make it up to you. I don't—"

"Just shut up, Kagome," Inuyasha spat so viciously it caused Kagome to recoil as if she'd been slapped. Inuyasha turned his eyes towards the papers on the ground. "You don't get to stand up for him when he just stuck his nose so deep into my family's most private fucking business. And I'm supposed to believe he won't run his mouth about what he saw?"

"I didn't see anything," Souta whispered hotly, his fingernails indenting the palms of his hands. "I promise."

Inuyasha snorted again. "You'd say anything right now just to get out of here. Am I right? I fucking hate people like you."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, her hands turning to fists. "Don't talk to him that way. Souta," Kagome exclaimed, "go home. We'll talk about this tomorrow."

"He's not going anywhere," Inuyasha stated in a dry, emotionless tone from the door.

 _What are you doing, Inuyasha?_ Kagome's brain screamed. _Why are you acting like this!?_

Kagome could feel her heart pounding in her ears and temples.

"For crying out loud, you can't just keep him locked up in your house, Inuyasha!"

"Inuyasha, I must interject."

Kagome looked over Inuyasha's shoulder to see Miroku and Sango just beyond the doorway. Had they been standing there this whole time?

Inuyasha angled his head to identify to Miroku that he was listening; however, his eyes never left Souta.

"I can imagine how vulnerable you must be feeling at present, Inuyasha," Miroku stated calmly, "but taking it out on Kagome's younger sibling is quite inappropriate. Let the boy—"

"—Inappropriate!?" Inuyasha interrupted. "He fucking rummaged through my dad's belongings, belongings that I don't allow anyone, _anyone_ , to handle, and I'm just supposed to be okay with that? Fuck off, Miroku."

Feeling her heartbeat pounding in her chest, Kagome took a few steps towards her brother and placed a hand on each shoulder.

"You've really done it now, Souta," Kagome whined, giving her brother's shoulders a squeeze. "Come on, I'll walk you out."

"He's not fucking going anywhere," Inuyasha spat again, turning his attention away from Miroku.

"Inuyasha, stop being a tyrant," Kagome responded fiercely. "You can't take him prisoner just because you don't know what he saw."

"I told you what I saw," Souta offered meekly, his cheeks red.

"I don't fucking believe you," Inuyasha snapped narrowing his eyes at Souta. "Like you'd really offer me freely all the little details of what you saw. No, no one goes anywhere, and that brat does not leave my property, until I am one-hundred-percent confident that he really saw nothing."

"Inuyasha, this is ridiculous, you're being an asshole!"

Inuyasha's eyes widened at Kagome, standing a good head taller than her brother, with her hands protectively on her sibling's shoulders.

"Come on, Souta," Kagome urged, giving her brother a slight push to get him moving.

 _He won't do anything_ , Kagome thought to herself, her eyebrows furrowed as she kept her eyes firmly on Inuyasha's face, trying to translate his expressions. _He's angry and overreacting because he's had such an emotional day. Fuck, Souta,_ she sighed, supressing the overwhelming desire to cry. _Why did you have to go and make things worse with Inuyasha?_

To make his point that he would not permit Souta to leave, Inuyasha stuck an arm out and gripped the doorframe, creating a physical blockade. Giving Inuyasha an irritated eyeroll, Kagome ducked her head under his arm and continued directing Souta out of the room; however, Kagome's eyes widened when she saw Inuyasha grab the back of Souta's shirt and fling him back into the room.

"Stop it, Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, spinning on her heel, her eyes madly searching behind Inuyasha for her brother.

Souta was now the only person in the office. Inuyasha stood in the doorway and kept Kagome partitioned on the other side of the door, with Miroku and Sango, separating her from her brother.

"Give me my brother, Inuyasha. This is ridiculous."

"You listen to me, girl," Inuyasha spat at Kagome. "You don't fucking understand, so my recommendation is that you just back the fuck off and let me have a heart-to-heart with Souta. I'll get the truth out of him."

"This isn't you!" Kagome cried. "This isn't like you, Inuyasha. Please, just let Souta go, okay?"

Inuyasha snorted, resting a hand on the open door. "No, you don't know me. Don't pretend like you do."

Kagome propelled her body into the door to prevent Inuyasha from closing it on her. She refused to allow Inuyasha to be alone with her brother in Inuyasha's current state. She was scared: scared for Souta, scared for Inuyasha, scared for what would happen if she did nothing.

"Get out of the way!" Inuyasha bellowed trying to close the door.

"Stop, Inuyasha!" Kagome shrieked, tears welling up in her eyes. Inuyasha grabbed her shoulder gruffly in his grasp and tried to remove her from the doorway.

"I said move!"

"I'm going anywhere without my brother!"

Inuyasha stood tall in front of her, his eyes dark and emotionless as he gripped the doorknob fiercely in his hand.

"Not until I'm done with him. You don't listen very well, do you, Bitch?"

"Don't talk to my sister that way, you jerk!"

Kagome watched with wide, tear-stained eyes as Souta took two leaping steps towards Inuyasha with his fist clenched.

Inuyasha dodged out of the way masterfully, grabbing Souta's wrist before Souta had a moment to register what was happening. With a rough thud, Inuyasha had Souta face down on the desk with his arm propped behind his back. Souta shouted in pain.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed, reaching for her brother as the tears finally came.

Hearing the guttural cry from Kagome forced a moment of clarity upon Inuyasha. Surfacing from his anger, Inuyasha surveyed his surroundings with new eyes, observing the horrified glances he received from Miroku and Sango. Turning to look at Kagome then, Inuyasha's heart ached.

What had he done? What the fuck was the doing? This was Kagome for fuck's sake. This was Kagome's brother—her family! How could he have so quickly transformed into behaving like an empty, raging demon? He was doing exactly what the family wanted him to do. He was behaving exactly like how he used to behave.

His ears finally picking up on Souta's cries of pain, Inuyasha jumped and quickly released Souta, taking a dumbfounded step back. He was picking a fight with a kid. Souta is just a kid. He felt dizzy, alarmed, stupid, and angry at himself for what he had just done

"Fuck, kid," Inuyasha hissed remorsefully. "I—I don't—"

"Inuyasha."

Kagome's tone was hoarse, unbalanced, livid. Inuyasha turned to her with rueful eyes.

"Kagome, I—"

Her slap was hard, heated, and forced all words from leaving Inuyasha's mouth. He could feel every ounce of emotion that she felt in the slap.

Inuyasha's head lurched to the side from the force of her blow, his cheek stinging sharply. The room became loud with her tears.

"Souta, are you okay?" She cried, running past Inuyasha and towards her brother. "Let's go home."

Inuyasha stood in stunned silence as he listened to the sounds of Kagome and Souta leaving the room. Other than Kagome's footsteps leaving him, he could only hear his heartbeat in the aching cheek where Kagome hit him.

"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered, his voice cracking, "where are you going?"

Sango was quick to take Souta from Kagome's hands and escorted the boy away from the room. Kagome aggressively wiped the tears from her cheeks and stared Inuyasha deep in the eye.

"Fuck you, Inuyasha."

Turning away from the room where Inuyasha stood alone, Kagome erupted in a wave of tears, gasping and choking for air as she gripped the bannister in her hands.

She didn't know what to feel. She was heartbroken, angry, disappointed, scared. What had she just witnessed Inuyasha become? Was that the emotionless tool that had burned people alive? He acted like she was nothing, that her family was nothing so long as he had his way. How could he do that to her? To Souta? And then suddenly to act like nothing had happened and he was sad to see her go? He didn't get to play that hot and cold card with her.

Kagome was done. She needed out of that house as fast as her legs could carry her. She didn't care what the media would make of it. If she was out of Inuyasha's life, the Family wouldn't want anything to do with her.

"Kagome," Sango called from the landing.

Kagome gave into another burst of tears and rested her elbows on the bannister, pressing her eyes into the palm of her hands. Why couldn't she breath? Why was the thought of leaving Inuyasha so devastating?

Sango's arms were quick around her friend, pulling her into a hug.

"Souta's okay," Sango whispered, squeezing her friend tightly. "He's a little shaken up but he's fine, he's not hurt."

"I need out of here," Kagome gasped, standing up straight. "I need some air."

"Whatever you need, Kagome."

The girls headed down the stairs and out the front door arm in arm, Kagome practicing deep breathing to get her heart rate under control. The more she came down from her tears, the more Kagome noticed the painful stinging in the hand she had used to slap Inuyasha.

"Where's Souta?"

"Miroku walked him to his car by the gate."

"I want to go see him. I'm gonna go back to the Shrine with him."

"Kagome," Sango stated, her eyes wide.

"I can't stay here another minute, Sango. Not with him."

Sango nodded, squeezing Kagome's hand. "Let's go see Souta and Miroku then."

The girls walked in silence down the tree-covered laneway. The world around them was dark and the moon danced and twinkled between the leaves above their heads as they walked. The sound of male voices became louder over the crunch of gravel under the women's feet.

As soon as Kagome's eyes fell upon her brother, she dropped Sango's arm and ran towards him, gripping him into a hug so tight she thought she would fall apart the moment they separated.

"I'm so sorry, Kagome," Souta cried into her chest, his tears causing wet, hot stains in her shirt.

"No, Souta, I'm so sorry for what he did to you."

"He's right, though, Sis," Souta sniffed. "He has every right to be pissed at me. What I did was really shitty."

"That doesn't give him the right to be as asshole with you, Souta! God, sometimes, I—sometimes I really hate, Inuyasha."

Souta squeezed Kagome around the midriff. "I've never seen you hit anyone before, Sis."

Kagome snorted a laugh through her nose. "That's because I never have hit anyone before. Man, my hand really hurts," she laughed.

"Well, if it's any consolation, it looked like it really hurt."

"Well, I hope it did," Kagome snapped, wiping underneath her eyes with the palms of her hands. "He deserved it."

"Kagome."

Kagome turned towards Miroku at hearing her name.

"Sango shared with me that you are returning to the Shrine. Is that true? Are you really leaving Sengoku Manor?"

Kagome tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and nodded, her eyes firmly on Souta who was moving a few belongings in his car to the trunk. "I can't stay here with him anymore, Miroku. Especially not after tonight."

"I can appreciate that," Miroku smiled, "I just—"

An odd noise caused Miroku's head to snap in the other direction and narrow his eyes, keen for an explanation of the noise. It almost sounded like a sneeze, or a throaty sigh. The sudden action from Miroku prompted strange looks from the females in the party.

"Miroku, what's the matter?" Sango asked, taking a step towards him.

"I thought I heard something," he responded. "To be honest, ladies, I would feel more comfortable if our goodbyes occurred within the gates. Standing here at the opening, I feel we are quite exposed. Souta, you should come along too."

"Sure thing," Souta called, "I'm almost done back here. Gimme a minute."

Sango snickered as she turned to walk back into the gated grounds with Miroku. "You look like you've seen a ghost, Miroku. It's so early in the morning, who else would be around here but us at this time?"

Never before doubting his instincts, Miroku offered Sango an amused smile but continued to usher her back into the gates, finally stopping once they had enough distance with which he was comfortable.

"Kagome and Souta, I appreciate your leaving but why don't you come say your goodbyes within the gates with us."

Kagome, who was leaning against the hood of her brother's car, raised an eyebrow at Miroku. "Why would we do that?"

The sound of a dramatic sigh behind her caused Kagome to spin on her heel and stifle a scream as she became confronted by a tall, thin man with blue eyes and dark brown hair. Seeing the blue warpaint on his face, Kagome felt her heart seize up as she took two hesitant steps backwards. She had been confronted by a man with warpaint before: Suikotsu.

"Are you the one we're searching for? Kagome? Truly? You're not as impressive as I thought you would be, especially considering you've stolen the heart of our adorable Inuyasha. Oh well," the stranger sighed again, spitting a wad of gum from his mouth. "If the Family wants you I guess there's no other way about it."

Kagome screamed as the stranger lunged for her and grabbed her around the middle, holding a gun out at the others to keep them stationary. Flailing her limbs, Kagome shrieked and begged for the stranger to let her go; however, before she knew what was going on, her world went black as the stranger tugged a bag over her head.

The last thing she heard was Miroku on the radio, requesting back up, stating that Kagome had been taken by Jakotsu of the Band of Seven. Then she fainted.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Hello, friends! I hope I haven't been keeping you waiting too long for the next installment! I found this chapter particularly hard to write; it's never easy pinning Inuyasha and Kagome against each other in a way that keeps them mostly true to character.

We're in for a bumpy road ahead, though, folks! I'm looking forward to it! XD

Do you think Inuyasha will come for her? I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback in a review.

Thanks to everyone for keeping up with the story. You the real MVP :)


	27. Premeditation

**Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Premeditation_

* * *

The black and blue of night yielded to morning as Jakotsu flicked his last cigarette butt out the car window.

The drive had been dull, and going into the fourth hour, his buttocks was beginning to numb. Jakotsu hated nighttime driving, always had: it's quiet, hard to see, and typically done alone. Jakotsu never did fare well in isolation.

He initially thought he would have enjoyed this drive more; but, _God_ was he bored. If it weren't for the occasional music that appeared through the radio static, his Sobranie Black Russian cigarettes, or Kagome's sporadic fits of kicking in the trunk, Jakotsu would have had to shoot himself in the head to rid himself of his boredom. With nothing but his churning thoughts to entertain him, Jakotsu coddled the irritation he felt: Why did _he_ have to be the one to kidnap Inuyasha's stupid girlfriend? Renkotsu enjoyed stakeouts and hunts _way_ more than Jakotsu did.

Jakotsu was the kind of man who preferred playing with his food rather than shopping for it.

Intensifying his grip on the cracked, aged leather steering wheel, Jakotsu ground his teeth. He continued to obsess over a simple thought that had been haunting him since he first captured Kagome:

 _Why hadn't Inuyasha been out there with the rest of them_?

While staking out that unreasonably large house for days, Jakotsu kept himself sane by running through a variety of scenarios, picturing all the ways Inuyasha might respond to losing Kagome. Jakotsu dreamed about outsmarting Inuyasha, beating Inuyasha, kicking him while he was down. Maybe he'd cry, or maybe he'd take his own life, Romeo-Juliet style. The thought made Jakotsu giggle.

Yet, Jakotsu's only audience ended up being that idiot, rookie government ex-agent, a bimbo, and some kid. Jakotsu snarled.

That was just like Inuyasha to fuck up Jakotsu's plans.

Jakotsu had spent days practicing the Family's rule of patience, living off the imaginary pain he would witness in Inuyasha; he had desperately wanted to see the look on that bastard's face as he watched Jakotsu take off with his beloved Kagome. Yet Inuyasha wasn't even around when the opportunity to take her presented itself.

Jakotsu's rage melted as he gave into a teetering of laughter. Images of Inuyasha's distress drifted through his mind's eye.

 _But, then again_ , Jakotsu thought, _it wouldn't have been as easy as it was to stick that broad in the trunk. Those other losers were just_ too _accommodating._

"Inuyasha, on the other hand," Jakotsu projected into the silence of the truck cabin. "Now, he would have put up a fight for her, because of all that chivalric garbage and shit that he stands for."

Consumed by the silence around him, with nothing but the sound of tires on pavement to occupy his thoughts, Jakotsu's humour faded. The more Jakotsu's thoughts harboured on Inuyasha the angrier he became.

 _Stupid, asshole, traitor, sexy Inuyasha._

The scenic road in front of him dulling his senses, Jakotsu zoned out, giving his mind full reins to reminisce and reflect on all the reasons why he hated Inuyasha.

His thoughts immediately and intimately danced around memories of late night after-parties, reminiscing coked-out acts of stupidity during band tours around the world. Who said you couldn't have fun at work?

Although, despite their antics, Inuyasha never did seem to forget the real reason they put on the persona of The Band of Seven—Jakotsu personally preferred the name Band of Thieves; Inuyasha thought it hit too close to home. But, Jakotsu had to give Inuyasha credit where credit was due: when Inuyasha did Naraku's bidding, it was clear to Jakotsu why Inuyasha was the man in charge on the road. Not even Bankotsu could hold a candle to Inuyasha's violent nature. Despite how much it pained him to say it, Jakotsu had looked up to Inuyasha, even admired him.

Oh, how could Jakotsu forget that one time he and Inuyasha played _bad cop, worse cop_ to a non-paying client in Istanbul? That Inuyasha was a sexy piece of work with a blade.

Sure, the band itself took work with all the rehearsing, and it was all fake in the end, but some of those connections and moments between the group of men felt more real than anything Jakotsu had experienced his whole life. How many times had Jakotsu fallen asleep in the band van watching Inuyasha play around on his laptop, a guitar at his side? It always astounded Jakotsu that Inuyasha was self-taught.

Shaking his head viciously of his thoughts, Jakotsu felt hot tears sting the backs of his eyes. What the fuck was he doing getting sentimental over memories of Inuyasha?

His mind felt overcast as he focused his thoughts, instead, on the heavy blow he sustained: Inuyasha had hated him—all of them—so much that he would rather betray the _oyabun_ and commit himself to death than be with them. Jakotsu meant nothing to him. The intimacy of the band's bond and his brothers meant nothing to him. The oath he swore to the _oyabun_ and Family meant nothing to him. They were all just slugs underneath the heel of Inuyasha's boot.

Jakotsu wanted Inuyasha to pay. His senses were so overcome with desperation he could barely keep the truck in the lane as he took an off-ramp towards their destination. He wanted Inuyasha dead so badly his stomach ached.

 _That fucking_ pretender, Jakotsu's mind raged.

 _I should just torture this stupid bitch in front of you to watch you suffer the way you made us suffer. Ten years in prison…the best parts of my youth, my beauty_ …gone _because of you, you piece of shit!_

Jakotsu wiped away spiteful tears from his cheeks.

"Not all of us get to maintain youth and perfect skin into our thirties, you fucking gorgeous sonofabitch," Jakotsu spat, slapping his palm against the steering wheel.

Muffled groans and the steady thud of Kagome kicking at the truck's flatbed cover started again. His tears and anger behind him, Jakotsu whistled a laugh through his teeth and shouted, ' _Keep at it, sister! It won't do you any good!'_

Hearing Kagome's discomfort made Jakotsu sigh, his chest feeling lighter. He bade an appreciative thought to Kagome, grateful that she brought him back to reality, reminding him of the joy in what he was doing. Sure, the drive itself was crappy; but, once they reached their destination…

Jakotsu giggled the thought away.

Bankotsu had selected Jakotsu to be the one to deal this blow to Inuyasha, and Jakotsu had it all mapped out: he would bring her to the dojo, film every little thing he did to her, and upload images and videos online every two hours, just to fuck with Inuyasha.

"Maybe he'd respond," Jakotsu snorted. "Can you imagine? Inuyasha submitting a comment on the videofeed of _kobuns_ taking their turn on that ass? It's so bad it's delicious."

Jakotsu's smile slowly faded as a familiar thought formed: amusing comments-be-damned, he wouldn't get to _watch_ Inuyasha's reaction.

"Bastard!" Jakotsu griped.

If only Inuyasha had been outside with the rest of them! That asshole never did what Jakotsu wanted him to.

For the third time that drive, a soft _ping_ drew Jakotsu's eyes to his dash where the burnt yellow 'check engine' symbol reappeared.

 _Stop being a dramatic bitch_ , Jakotsu inwardly chastised the old pickup. _You bitch and complain and then two minutes later, you're fine. Don't be a cocktease and get me worked up over nothing._

Jakotsu snorted. The word _cocktease_ made him suddenly nostalgic about Suikotsu, the individual who had introduced the word to Jakotsu's vocabulary.

Jakotsu rested a pained hand over his heart at the memory of his oldest friend.

It had been a long time since Jakotsu experienced a moral dilemma; however, he had really struggled to make that decision to abandon Suitkotsu in the SUV once Inuyasha trashed it. But, he had had no choice! Even Suikotsu knew that it was every man for himself. You never let the pigs get two where they could only get one; that was how the _oyabun_ preferred it, and who was Jakotsu to question or refute the _oyabun_? No Burning Ritual for him! No, sir!

The second the hood of the SUV had crumpled into the highway barricade, Jakotsu knew Suikotsu was a goner. Hanging halfway out the window like that? Jakotsu was just grateful his last memory of his brother wasn't of him being cut in half. Swimming his way out of the driver's seat airbag, Jakotsu had pitched himself down the highway, aiming for the waterway just a kilometre or so up the road. That had been the longest run of his life.

Patting his left leg, Jakotsu ignored the twinge of pain that seared up the limb and gathered in the base of his spine. Ever since the crash, he slowly grew used to the discomfort of his bum leg. Running was pretty much out of the question these days; but, if Bankotsu got him some of that real, fine Crystal from their dealers, Jakotsu swore he could outrun a triathlete without sensing any pain. That shit made Jakotsu feel bionic.

 _Stupid, Inuyasha_ , Jakotsu thought, his eyes turning back downwards towards his leg.

Wishing he hadn't run out of his Black Russians, his mind revisited thoughts on Suikotsu.

He knew it was unwise to have let the injury go as long as he had without medical attention. He also shouldn't have trusted one of the _kobun's_ whores to stitch him up. But, that was arguably better than being recognized in a hospital ward. Trying to stay low-key as an ex-convict celebrity was far more effort than Jakotsu would have liked.

The thud from Kagome kicking about in the trunk droned from the silence of the early dawn and Jakotsu laughed out-loud, forcing his volume in hopes Kagome would hear him.

"Girl, are your legs not beat yet?" He shouted at her over the hum of the truck's aged engine. "Give it up! I think it's safe to say you ain't going _anywhere_ unless I want you to!"

Ignoring the steady beat of Kagome's efforts to escape, Jakotsu's mind turned back to his last moments with Suikotsu.

Bankotsu had been a gem in keeping the cops distracted with something else. To Suikotsu and Jakotsu it felt like they had the whole world at their disposal. Jakotsu sighed with nostalgia. Getting into the Lexus, the two of them were like bloody teenagers. It had been years since the two of them were together like that: giddy from the anticipation of a successful hit, drunk with power and expectation.

It was Suikotsu's idea even to bring back the face-paint.

Jakotsu sniggered. Inuyasha always hated that face-paint idea—"You idiots are going to play for an audience in a stadium, not fight in a fucking battle; you look ridiculous!"—But, he never understood. It was the _ritual_ behind it that mattered, the act of mentally and physically preparing oneself for a life-changing event. Performing a hit or a show, it didn't matter; when you came down from that high and returned to real life…

 _That shit changes a man_ , Jakotsu's thoughts concluded.

Another _ping_ of the check engine light caused Jakotsu to scoff a, ' _For fuck's sake',_ under his breath. The horizon emitting an ember glow, the quiet and desolate two-lane highway taunted Jakotsu with just how much further he had to go. He didn't think he could stomach another couple hours of this bullshit.

Tired of having to entertain his own boredom, Jakotsu decided he needed some much-needed relief from driving. Smirking, he knew just what he needed to put the pep back in his step. He felt like playing with his food.

Without signalling, Jakotsu eased the old truck off the road, onto the unpaved shoulder, and then parked it on a grassy patch. Listening to the engine click as it cooled down, Jakotsu bent his neck to survey his surroundings.

There was nothing but forest expanding into the horizon on both sides of the road. The greenery went on for hours.

Opening the squeaky door, Jakotsu groaned and stretched his aching legs before hopping out onto the shoulder. Gripping the door tightly in alarm, Jakotsu hadn't realized he parked on a slight incline; his bum leg gave out on him.

"Jesus Mother Mary of Christ!" Jakotsu shrieked, gathering his composure.

Slamming the truck door shut, Jakotsu used his good leg to give a hateful kick to the driver's front tire. The amount of strain that stupid truck had put him through…

And the real kicker was that no one in the Family, not even Bankotsu, would appreciate just how much effort Jakotsu put into making that truck blend into its surroundings. Not once investigated, Jakotsu had been pleased with his camouflage those first few days. Although, it was some feat taking off all four tires in the dead of night with that sorry-excuse-for-a-jack he found in the flatbed, and with his stupid, busted leg.

Sighing and cracking his back, Jakotsu yawned as he rounded the truck. His heart fluttered with enthusiasm at the premise of eradicating his boredom. Giving the trunk a toothy grin, he slammed his fist against the flatbed cover a few times. Jakotsu snickered when he heard Kagome wail in distress.

"Wakey-wakey, Princess! It's time for a piss break."

Fishing the keys out of his jacket pocket, Jakotsu took a quick peek over his shoulder before he unlocked the top cover and lifted it, exposing Kagome's bound form.

"How we doing, hun?" Jakotsu inquired sarcastically. "Sleep well?"

Kagome peered up at him with every ounce of hate her body could muster. Her eyes tried to unleash a chain of profanities her mouth could not due to the gag tied around her head.

"Upsy-daisy, lady," Jakotsu groaned, yanking her out of the truck by her bound hands behind her back. "The last thing we need right now is for you to piss yourself in the back of my truck. I need to return it the way that I borrowed it, and I am _positive_ there was no lady-piss in the back to begin with."

Kagome screeched when her bound feet hit the grass and she writhed awkwardly, shifting her body away from Jakotsu like a vertical snake.

Closing the cover on the truck, Jakotsu crossed his arms and turned to face Kagome, his eyebrows raised with a slight shake of his head. Somehow confronting her in the open like this made him feel so… _dangerous_ and sexy. Sure, he hadn't encountered another vehicle for the last two hours, but the premise that he _might_ made it all the more exciting.

"I can't imagine it will be easy for you to relieve yourself while your hands are tied," Jakotsu conjectured. "At the same time though, I really don't feel like wrestling you back into those bindings. Hmm," he thought, putting a pensive hand to his chin. "What to do, what to do."

Kagome bounced where she stood and tried to use her tongue to move the gag around in her mouth. The cloth was beginning to chafe the corners of her mouth and, every time she moved, she felt the sore worsen. Her exhausted body was running on nothing more than pure adrenaline. An exasperated groan projected from her throat and she tried to keep her tears contained. Her body ached. Her head was pounding. Her wrists felt like they were being rubbed raw by the twine binding her behind her back. She could see dried blood casing the cord that bound her ankles together.

Tears came to her eyes at the realization that all her kicking and screaming had been for naught.

Watching Jakotsu take a step towards her, Kagome tried to swing her body away from him, struggling to keep her balance with such little equilibrium from her confined limbs. With a fearful wail, Kagome found herself falling over, landing painfully on her side on the grass. Tears dripping from the corner of her eyes, she watched Jakotsu stand above her with his hands on his hips. His drawn-back black hair hung limply in his eyes, his pale complexion giving him an unearthly glow like a haunted porcelain doll.

"There's not much grace to you," Jakotsu sighed. "But, while you're down there, it'll probably be easiest for you to do your business."

Resting his foot on Kagome's hip and giving her a slight roll, Kagome's wide eyes peered up at her abductor. Straining her neck, she looked over her shoulder down the slanted hill, observing the shallow valley several feet below.

Her heart thrashed within her ribcage at the premise of what Jakotsu was suggesting. Kagome gagged against the material in her mouth, horror-struck by how much he was enjoying humiliating and demeaning her.

"Brace yourself," Jakotsu joked, leaning down to sneer at Kagome. "I can't promise there aren't any little sticks eager to poke and prod at you on your way down."

As Kagome released a cry and her eyes spilled over with fresh tears, Jakotsu shoved at Kagome's body with his foot and watched her roll away from his vision, shortly disappearing down the hill in front of him.

He couldn't contain the laughter that burst from his belly at the hilarious sight of Kagome bouncing down the grassy knoll, rolling to a stop in the valley. Her cries and screams were muffled yelps from where she lay face down. Squinting his eyes, he thought he could make out one of her wrists looking a bit blue or purple. Maybe she broke it on the way down. How would he know? He wasn't a doctor.

Turning his back to Kagome—thinking it was quite decent of him to give her some privacy while she relieved herself—Jakotsu hummed the chorus of his band's song 'Mercenary'. Even though he was appreciative that he was getting an opportunity to stretch his legs, he found himself growing more and more irritable that Kagome's cries from the valley below were ruining his song.

* * *

A Few Hours Earlier

* * *

"Don't touch me, Miroku!" Sango screamed, jumping to the side to avoid his attempted embrace.

In her panic, Sango was wearing the carpet thin, feeling so useless she was driven to pace, devastated for what Kagome was going through right at that moment.

"Sango, please calm down," a tired Miroku pleaded. "We're doing everything we can for Kagome. I beg you to stop pacing. You're just making yourself all the more anxious."

"Calm down?" Sango shouted with a hint of humour in her tone. "My best friend was just _kidnapped_ in front of us while we were at gunpoint, Miroku! I will not _fucking_ calm down."

Miroku groaned and ran a hand through his hair. His composure was starting to falter, and he still had no idea if security had gotten a hold of Inuyasha to advise him of the situation. Kagome had been gone for forty-five minutes and no one had since seen Inuyasha. Not since their conflict in Tōga's office.

Did Inuyasha know she'd been taken? Was he already after Jakotsu?

Miroku had been awake for so long his head was humming with a combination of drowsiness and adrenaline, and he widened his eyes to stay his focus.

In his panic, Miroku had not only paged security, he had also notified the Director of Cabinet Intelligence about the current situation. Miroku's stomach churned at the idea Kagome was abducted by the same truck Miroku tried to warn Inuyasha about. Always one to act with humility, Miroku felt choked by his desire to smack Inuyasha over the head and dance circles around him shouting 'I told you so'.

But none of that was going to help Kagome.

Frustration swelling from inside him, Miroku tried to repress the recent memory of his call with the Director, especially the curt tone the Director had used to criticize Miroku's actions. Naichō would _keep an eye on the situation_ —whatever the hell that meant.

Taking a deep breath, Miroku narrowed his eyes on the computer monitor in front of him. His eyes scanned the map on the screen eager to find what he was looking for.

Miroku didn't want to get sidetracked by self-reproach. The Director could criticize him all he liked for being a "weak, embarrassment of a former agent". Miroku stood by his decision to do nothing when Kagome was being taken. Miroku was confident that, in the moment, _not_ listening to Jakotsu—the most spastic and rash of the entire Band—would have resulted in Kagome's being immediately hurt. Big picture, for the sake of Kagome's wellbeing, inaction was the safest action.

"Zoom in here," Miroku pointed over the security guard's shoulder. "Get me CCTV footage from each of these interchanges. I want report of every single Toyota vehicle larger than a mid-sized sedan. Priority will be green pickup trucks produced between 1990 and 2000."

"Yes, sir."

Sango continued to pace.

"What good is looking at a map, Miroku?" Sango questioned. "We should be out there! Looking for her!"

Miroku tried to soften his gaze at Sango. "I'm worried about her too, Sango. But, it's reckless of us to approach this without some semblance of a plan. We have no idea where he's going with her. He's in a vehicle, and it's been almost an hour by now. Knowing he went west from the property, the best course of action is to estimate his trajectory and use the tools we have available to make the best possible appraisal of the situation _before_ acting." Miroku sighed. "Sango, going out there blind would be like chasing a ghost."

Sango collapsed onto the couch behind her and wrapped a maternal arm around a devastated Souta.

"Better to chase a ghost in hopes of doing something then obsess over options and do nothing."

Miroku ran an aggravated hand down his face and turned his eyes down to the phone he kept gripped in his palm. There was still no word from Inuyasha.

"Sango, I—"

"—Sir! We've found something."

Clawing her way off the sofa, Sango gripped Miroku's arm in both hands. Leaning her torso over the guard's shoulder, Sango's eyes tore across the screen for answers, hope brimming within her.

"Thirty minutes ago a forest green 1993 Toyota Compact 4WD Deluxe Pickup was seen leaving the prefecture heading westbound towards Minamitsuru District. Then," he paused, scrolling further down the page. "Here, CCTV footage reveals the same vehicle taking the ramp towards Aokigahara Forest."

"Aokigahara?" Miroku recoiled with disbelief. "But that's nearly three hours away! Why the hell would he be taking Kagome that way?"

"But we don't know for sure that's them," Sango muttered, taking a second to wade through all her thoughts. Then, with widened eyes, she asked, "Does CCTV show the driver at all? Can you see his face?"

Sango shouted her questions fervently at the security guard despite being so close to the man. Her body was so on edge her skin felt like it was vibrating. She had never wanted something so badly. That _had_ to be the truck that took Kagome; they had no other leads. Sango gave a little jump when she felt Souta approach and link arms with her where she stood. Refusing to turn her eyes away from the computer screen, Sango rested a hand atop his and gave the boy's cold fingers a squeeze.

"Yes, bear with me, miss. I'll have a close-up on the screen momentarily."

Sango nodded in response.

"Do you think that's really them, Sango? Is that the truck that has Kagome?"

Sango turned her face to Souta and tried to offer him a comforting smile. "I really hope so, Souta."

Miroku cursed under his breath and directed his attention to his black-screened phone. Where the _hell_ was Inuyasha?

"Here," the security guard claimed in his baritone voice. "This is the clearest shot we could get of the driver.

"That son of a bitch!" Sango screamed. "That's him! I'd recognize Jakotsu anywhere. Miroku, we have to—"

Miroku turned away from Sango upon feeling the first vibration of his phone in his hand. Hastily observing the caller ID, Miroku raised the device to his ear, eager to give the caller a piece of his mind.

"Where in the bloody name of Christ have you b—"

"—Will you shut the fuck up and get down here already?" Inuyasha barked. "I'm in the garage. I know where that motherfucker is taking Kagome."

* * *

Kagome's wrist ached with such a burning pain she couldn't think or see properly. Saliva bubbled from her mouth with each cry and she gave into the futility that suddenly overwhelmed her.

There was no way Inuyasha was going to come for her this time. Not after what she'd done.

She had been so focused on protecting the family she was scared to lose again that she didn't even think twice about Inuyasha. How could she have lost all empathy for him in that moment? Her, the same person who would blow her lid as a teenager when Souta invaded her room and read her diary. Souta acted just like how he always did, pulling the same crap now as when he was a kid! Inuyasha had every right to be angry with him. In his typical Inuyasha way, he didn't handle his emotions well, but Kagome knew that about him. That meant she should have been the adult; she should have known better than to lash out at Inuyasha and add gasoline to an already raging fire.

And to slap him? Curse at him the way she had? Kagome's stomach ached with disgust. Tears prickled her raw eyes.

What had she done?

She was never going to see him again. She would never get the opportunity to apologize, to tell him how she really felt about him.

 _I don't hate you, Inuyasha; I could never hate you. I'm sorry for being stupid, for not listening to you, for not seeing things from your side. I don't care what you've done. I don't care about any of it. I'll find a way to live with all this; I don't care. Please, just forgive me._

 _Please…_ her mind begged as she gave into a fresh wave of tears. _Please, just let me see him one more time._

"Oy!"

The effeminate voice calling to her made Kagome recoil inwardly, retracting her neck into her shoulders.

"Have you peed?"

" _Ugh_ _awh_!"Kagome screamed through her gag—' _Fuck off'_.

A giggling Jakotsu slowly inched his way down the hill and stood leaning over her, his hands on his knees.

"Oh, dear," Jakotsu sighed, adjusting Kagome's hair so it didn't cover her face. He bellowed a laugh as he drew a strand of hair out of her saliva-smeared mouth. "You are not the _least_ bit pretty when you cry."

Kagome screamed at him and shook her body violently, giving a shriek when she rolled onto her injured wrist.

Laughing to himself and grunting an, ' _Up you go!',_ Kagome was lifted to her feet by her shoulders.

"Let's get you back in your cage, hm?"

Kagome jerked her elbow out of Jakotsu's grasp, shouting a, ' _oh ugh ee!'_ —' _Don't touch me'_. Jakotsu laughed at her, paid her no mind, and dug his fingers into the crook of her elbow, yanking her towards him. Looking up into his deadened dark eyes, her exhales were heavy and warm against the gag in her mouth.

"You should like me when I'm in a good mood, Kagome."

Jakotsu rested his arm around her shoulders, almost as if he was leaning his weight on her.

"You wouldn't like me very much otherwise. You see," he began, lowering his hand down her back. "I'm a very self-aware man. Do you know what that means?"

Kagome shook her head as she began to whimper, feeling Jakotsu's fingers inch closer towards her bound wrists. His face was warningly close to hers; she could feel the heat of his stale breath on her cheek.

"It means that I know myself very, very well, and I'm honest with myself. So honest that I can humbly admit I can be a petty bitch when I don't get my way."

Kagome winced as Jakotsu started tracing his fingers inside the palm of her injured hand.

"And when people don't listen to me when I give them instructions—well, you see Kagome, that's one of the things that makes me a _really_ cranky bitch. So, you should appreciate that I'm in such a good mood. Otherwise…"

Jakotsu squeezed Kagome's broken wrist in his fist so tightly it caused Kagome's knees to buckle while releasing a throaty, guttural cry of pain.

"You understand me, don't you, Kagome?" Jakotsu asked solemnly over her screams.

Kagome nodded vigorously, choking on air, unable to catch her breath.

"That's my girl," Jakotsu smiled, his lips peeling back from angular, white teeth. "Now, up we go!"

Kagome tripped over her feet as Jakotsu dragged her by her bicep up the incline. Her mind racing in equal time to her pounding heart, Kagome tried to take note of her surroundings. She tried to think, to focus, around the pain. Was there something she could leave behind to show they'd been there? Leave a clue should anyone—Inuyasha?—be looking for her?

By the time Kagome tried to focus past the pain, Jakotsu already had the flatbed cover unlocked and raised and the trunk door down, motioning Kagome inside.

She clambered in best she could, Jakotsu's beady eyes challenging her to argue with or defy him. With a final push against her backside, Kagome fell forward with the motion, scraping her chin against the hard rubber-coated trunk lining.

Laying on her side, whimpering in the dank posterior of the truck, Kagome watched Jakotsu wiggle his fingers at her in goodbye as he enclosed her in the dark. Kagome's shoulders shook with fear, shame, and rage. She had never felt so genuinely hopeless and useless in her whole life.

It's a common line of thought that when you're about to die your life flashes before your eyes. This was something Kagome could not get out of her head, and it was an idea she obsessed over the entire time she was contained in the trunk. But, it wasn't a parade of images that came to her, it was just one: the school closing for good; her final time leaving Tokyo Collegiate Secondary Institute. She remembered feeling lost, confused, scared about what the future held for her. She remembered sitting befuddled in the front seat of her Corolla, worried about what would come next.

Kagome laughed at that girl, the girl she was then. That girl didn't realize how easy she had it. That girl didn't realize there are far worse things to be scared of than losing your job.

Kagome would have given anything to be that girl again.

She sniffled.

Kagome would have given anything to be with Inuyasha again.

Sitting in the dark, trying to control her breathing, it dawned on Kagome that the truck's booming engine hadn't come to life.

Rolling across her front onto her other side, Kagome grimaced and released a groan when the twine tugged on her broken wrist. Her entire body was alive with a resounding heartbeat. Her hips ached from having been bounced across the indentations of the flatbed's plastic grooves. Her head throbbed from exhaustion and stress. Her ankles stung with every movement of her lower torso.

Kagome's eyes searched the trunk lining for answers, honing her ears to try to understand what was happening. Silence lingered for a while, and then Kagome jumped when Jakotsu slammed the truck door, a chain of curse words flowing from his lips with vehement anger.

The crunch of gravel beside her head identified he was outside the truck, pacing.

"Yeah, it's me. No, _Fuckface,_ we're not almost there yet."

 _Is he on the phone?_ She wondered.

"This stupid fucking piece of garbage truck you leant me is busted. Yeah, busted."

 _The truck broke down?_ Kagome's mind reeled. She didn't know whether to express joy or grief.

"I didn't do anything to it!" Jakotsu's muffled voice screeched in anger to the person on the phone. "The check engine light came on a few times and I— _No_! I obviously didn't stop to check it out. I have Inuyasha's bitch in the trunk, _asshole_. I'm not just going to pull into the nearest auto body shop, you dumbshit."

Kagome couldn't help but try to smile despite the gag in her mouth.

"Can you just shut your mouth for a second and listen?" Jakotsu seethed. "I'm on the Fuji Panorama Line, maybe two hours or so from the dojo. Can you just come get us?"

 _He's taking me to a_ dojo?Kagome's mind flinched. _Why would he be taking me to a dojo of all places?_

Yet, Kagome's mind became paralyzed then in answer to her own question. Miroku's voice, in memory, faintly came to the forefront of her thoughts.

 _With the backing of my new Director, I obsessively poured myself into my vengeance. The dojo was abandoned after the attack; however, I staked it out for days at a time, convinced that Naraku couldn't so easily abandon a central location where he had housed so many trafficking victims and goods._

 _Shit_ , Kagome thought with panicked clarity swelling in her chest. _He's taking me to Naraku._

"I don't care if it's you, your mom, or your fucking uncle. Just send a car to come get me. _Now_! We're fucking sitting ducks out here." Then, after a moment, his tone lightened. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, love you too. Thanks, doll."

Kagome took a deep breath at the sound of Jakotsu finishing his call. Tonguing the corner of her mouth, but mostly licking the cloth that rendered her speech useless, Kagome tried to think. However, before she could get too invested in her thoughts, Jakotsu's singsong voice addressed her.

"So, listen," he began with his usual impish gait. His words followed the sound of the key in the cover's lock. "We're having a little car trouble, but no worries! We have a ride coming."

Kagome squinted her eyes at the sudden revelation of daylight that accosted her. Grunting as Jakotsu lifted her from the trunk, Kagome felt lightheaded once her feet finally touched the grass.

"Old cars, right?" Jakotsu continued, leaning against the open door of the trunk. "So fucking unreliable."

Kagome stared daggers in Jakotsu's direction before turning over her shoulder to peer at the road, desperate for any vehicle, anyone, to make an appearance and rescue her.

"And they're going to be a couple _hours_ ," Jakotsu whined, enunciating and drawing out 'hours' so that it sounded like _ow-ers._ "As if this road trip wasn't boring enough."

 _Road trip? Is that what you call my abduction, you creep!?_

"Tell me a story, Kagome," he whined. "Entertain me while we wait. What do you want to talk about?"

Kagome turned with raised eyebrows towards Jakotsu's seemingly jovial face. Did he not remember holding her down and gagging her only a few hours ago? How on earth was he expecting her to keep up a conversation? Not to mention the fact that she had absolutely nothing good to say to him and had no intention of complying.

"I mean," he continued, ignoring the look she gave him, "it may not be that bad of an idea if we're going to be stuck here for the next couple of hours…"

 _What idea?_

Kagome scowled at the expression he gave her, the tone in his voice that suggested he was up to something. Her heart jumping into her throat, she took a hesitant step—albeit a small one because of her bindings—away from Jakotsu. His mischievous smile increased, motioning towards her with outstretched hands.

Jakotsu chuckled when she flinched at his gesturing towards her. "Come on, Kagome. I'm not _nearly_ that scary. I'm doing this for both our benefit."

Kagome felt his hands on her shoulders, rotating her until her back faced him. Then, she could feel the ministrations of his fingers behind her head. With a sudden burst of gratitude swelling within her, Jakotsu removed his hands from her, taking with them the cloth he used to gag her. Her gratitude faded to a whimper as she felt him tug the rolled cloth out of the open wounds in the sides of her mouth.

"See? I can be nice you know."

Kagome cautiously licked at the corners of her mouth, feeling the sting of open wounds at the touch. She hadn't realized how much her jaw had been aching from the gag. Using her shoulder to try to massage away the pain in her jaw, Kagome ignored Jakotsu's next few comments about his disdain for having one-way conversations and his reiterated question about what they should talk about.

"I have nothing to say to you!" Kagome shouted at him, her frustration getting the better of her. Her voice cracked from having not spoken for hours. Her throat was so dry she could feel her esophagus chafing as she tried to gulp down saliva.

Jakotsu smiled at her. "See, you say that, but I don't believe you." He immediately followed his comment with a titter. "I think I have just the conversation starter to get you going."

Kagome snorted. "Unless it's you apologizing for kidnapping me and offering to take me back home, I couldn't care less what you have to say!"

"Home, you say?" Jakotsu sneered. "I didn't take you from _your_ home. I took you from _Inuyasha's_ home. Unless," Jakotsu gasped, resting a hand on his chest in a melodramatic fashion, "unless you love him and, because of your _darling_ feelings for him, that makes _his_ home _your_ home."

Kagome rolled her eyes and turned her face away from him, refusing to encourage this conversation.

There was no one else in the world she'd rather not talk to about Inuyasha.

"That really is sweet," he persisted. "You love Inuyasha. Tell me," Jakotsu urged, sitting and dangling his legs over the open door of the trunk. "Does he love you back?"

Kagome again remained silent, begging a car into existence to come save her.

"I'm going to take your silence to mean you haven't told him how you feel. Oh, that's just _precious_. Little Kagome has a hard-on for darling Inuyasha. But, you know," he goaded, "I don't want to disappoint you, Kagome. I'll be straight with you, woman to woman. You aren't the first pair of fluttering eyelashes I've seen Inuyasha make a sucker out of."

"Will you _shut up!?_ I don't want to hear what you have to say about him!"

Closing her eyes to steady her headache, Kagome instantly regretted the words out of her mouth. She shouldn't have encouraged him. She also realized she shouldn't provoke her kidnapper; she was just grateful he didn't react like he had earlier when she told him no. This time, he took her reproach playfully.

"Listen, hunny," he smirked, knowing he had her right where he wanted her. "I'm just trying to talk some sense into you. I mean, you seem like a nice girl. You were, what? A grade two teacher before Inuyasha made you his flowerbed harlot?"

Kagome's eyes widened with anxiety.

"How did you know—"

"—A grade two teacher has _no_ business being with a mob lord's son. I mean, let's compare, shall we?

"You spent your days encouraging and loving children. Inuyasha murdered children to prove to our _oyabun_ that Inuyasha was worthy to be his _kobun_. D'you see where I'm going with this? You taught kids how to paint pretty, little pictures with their fingers. I once watched Inuyasha literally tear a person's heart out of their chest because they called him a _faggot_."

Jakotsu smiled, took a breath, and continued.

"You've had, what? Three? Four lovers, at most? Inuyasha's gotta be in, _at least,_ the high fifties—and that's not even me bein' a dramatic bitch. Inuyasha used to lead our gang-bangs, you know?"

Jakotsu grinned. "How can I put this in a way you'll understand? Oh, I know—think of it like Inuyasha was the one who always got to try the first sip of wine before the rest of the table got to enjoy the bottle." Jakotsu laughed. "The lucky bastard always had first dibs! Do you know there was a time in Thailand where four of us guys fucked twelve women at one time?"

Laughing so hard that tears came to his eyes, Jakotsu continued, "Inuyasha was the one who went in to get the juices flowing for the rest of us! Fuck, he was good at it too. No one likes dry-dogging it, you know? He was such a snack—still is, am I right?"

Jakotsu whistled. "When he went to town on those girls, just watching would cause some of us guys to get hard before we were allowed to join. He was sure good at tricking those bitches into thinking they wanted it, too. That shit was better than porn. But, that's just our Inuyasha," he cooed, fanning himself, his eyes glazed over in memory. "No one could ever say no to that cock, especially when he was balls-deep in their cunt, giving them just what—"

"—I don't want to hear anymore!" Kagome screamed, her face flushing.

She felt disgusted with herself, allowing her arousal to rise at Jakotsu's words. Her stomach was in knots. She could feel the familiar warmth and softness of her vaginal walls moistening with every flex of her Kegels. She didn't want to visualize Inuyasha screwing around with other women. The explicitness of Jakotsu's words caused the images to sear behind her eyelids. She didn't want to believe that Inuyasha could have had anything to do with rape. He was so gentle with her, so understanding when she wasn't ready, when she asked to wait or stop. Sure, he had toed the line a few times, really pushing her limits, but there was never the electricity of fear in her mind that he would do something she didn't want. She liked to be teased, and he was just so good at teasing her.

Kagome choked back a sob, ignorant of the glee expressed on Jakotsu's face at her reaction to his words. She didn't want those cherished memories of her and Inuyasha earlier that night—yesterday—to be ruined. She didn't want to believe she would just be another notch on Inuyasha's belt.

But, her mind was her enemy, convincing her that of course he had taken other women. How else could his hands have so expertly known what her body wanted?

 _Jakotsu just said that to get under your skin. He_ wants _this reaction from you, Kagome_ , her mind chastised. _Stop it—don't allow your thoughts to go there._

Another sob curdled in her chest. Why were these images so vibrant in her mind? She didn't want to picture Inuyasha sliding himself between another woman's legs. She didn't want to encourage these feelings of jealously—that wasn't like Kagome.

Kagome shook her head. Her eyes dried and ached from trying to prevent more tears.

She hated Jakotsu for doing this to her. Why was it so easy for her believe that her intimacy with Inuyasha meant nothing? Was it because Jakotsu spoke repressed thoughts Kagome had that she didn't want to give credit?

She turned her back to Jakotsu, sniffling away more tears seconds from falling, cries trapped in the base of her throat.

"It's like clockwork," Jakotsu sighed, "the amount of times I've seen women respond this way over Inuyasha."

" _Please_ , just stop."

Jakotsu's insides were alight. She sounded so defeated.

"I'm sorry the truth hurts, Kagome," Jakotsu smiled through his teeth. "It must be a real shocker to face the reality that neither you nor your _virgin-esque_ pussy will be able to change him."

Kagome turned angry, watery eyes to glower at him in response.

"Oh, _hunny_ ," Jakotsu fake empathized after a drawn out silence. "You didn't _possibly_ think you could change him, did you?"

Having had enough of this, Kagome tried to walk away, shifting her body slowly to the other side of the truck to get away from Jakotsu. Unfortunately, due to her tied ankles, she barely waddled a foot or two. Laughing at her attempt, Jakotsu got up from his seat, grabbed Kagome by the broken wrist, and dragged her, screaming, back to where she previously stood.

Kagome fell to the ground, her eyesight blank with pain and tears.

Hopping back onto the truck's lowered flatbed door, Jakotsu crossed his hands and said, "What was I saying? Right, yes: you thought you could change Inuyasha.

"He's a really great guy, Kagome. I don't blame you for getting wet panties over him, but he is just so _beyond_ saving, you know? I mean, he was with Kikyou for _years_ and those two fucked like rabbits, let me tell you. Not even _her_ regal pussy could change Inuyasha's mind. Did you know he stole her from Bankotsu? They tag-teamed her once and I think that was all Inuyasha needed to want that cooch for his own."

Jakotsu laughed. "He always was thinking with his cock." Then, wiping a tear from his eye he asked, "So, what was your first time with him like?"

Kagome turned her head away, squeezing her eyes, not wanting to listen to any more of the _smut_ and lies Jakotsu threw at her.

 _Not wanting to give the bastard any credit, but Naraku's greatest skill was being able to manipulate a person based on their weaknesses. It's one of the key things I had been taught growing up. You extort someone to discover their weakness and then you fuck with them long enough until you slowly break them down until they're pathetic enough it's not much of a fight._

Inuyasha's voice rang loudly in her head.

Anger overtaking the pity she felt, Kagome felt her blood begin to boil. She knew what Jakotsu was trying to do. He was trying to fuck with her, get inside her head, break her down until she was nothing. Her earlier reactions may have given him what he wanted, but that would never happen again. Let him run his mouth all he wanted. Kagome would not let him get to her now.

"You're not saying anything," he pouted. "Is it because you're a lady without loose lips? Or is it because he's refused to fuck you and you don't want anyone to know he won't sleep with you?"

Jakotsu watched Kagome with careful eyes before crinkling his face with a smile and hopping down from his seat. Kneeling before her, Jakotsu grabbed her chin in his hand and forced her to meet his eye.

"So which is it? You fucked him or no?"

"None of your business," Kagome spat, fighting to remove her face from his grip.

Jakotsu snorted a laugh through his nose and gripped her face so tightly her cheeks puckered. He opened his mouth to say something; but, when his eyes drooped to read her body language, for the first time Jakotsu noticed the merlot-coloured hickey on Kagome's neck.

"Oh, Kagome, you slut!" He shouted with merriment, releasing her face with a playful push that knocked her over. "Is that a little love-bite I see? It looks fresh too," he grinned, running his fingers over it, giggling as Kagome tried to shrug her shoulders to hide the mark from view, to get his hand off her.

"Did that happen today? Yesterday? I've given my share of them so I know a juicy new one when I see it. Tell me about it. Let me guess: clothes on. No—off! They were off, weren't they? You little skank, you! That _must_ mean you've seen Inuyasha's gargantuan member. _Tell me_ you've seen how big our Inuyasha is! Man, am I jealous of that serpent king."

Kagome struggled to sit upright and once again angled her face from Jakotsu, refusing to give him the reaction he was so sorely trying for. Unfortunately, her body betrayed her and her flushed cheeks gave her away.

"Do you prefer circumcised or do you like a little man with a jacket? I promise I won't tell Inuyasha if his little prince isn't your dream junk."

Kagome said nothing.

"How many times have you fingered yourself thinking about Inuyasha's giant cock?"

Squeezing her eyes, Kagome prayed that with no response he would eventually just shut up.

"Fuck, Kagome, you're no fun," he whined, kicking his feet from where he sat on the lowered door.

The two sat in silence for a couple of minutes after that. Kagome finally released a pent-up exhale in relief. She never thought he'd stop.

All that talk about Inuyasha's penis made Kagome's chest and cheeks flush in recollection of their time in his Jacuzzi. However, that memory slowly melded with earlier reflections sparked by Jakotsu's talks of gang-bangs, and Kagome shook the thoughts from her mind.

She couldn't allow her mind to trail back to that place, allow herself to fall into a dark place. She needed to keep alert, to keep her eyes and mouth at the ready should another vehicle make itself known.

She knew it was only a matter of time, too, before their ride got there.

Unfortunately for Kagome, though, Jakotsu wasn't finished playing with her yet.

"Hmm, I have a new idea since you're such a terrible conversationalist."

Jakotsu's eyes bore into Kagome's face and she continued to give him the silent treatment. Jakotsu smiled knowingly.

"Do you want to play a game?"

Kagome scoffed and looked at him with an incredulous look on her face.

"What?"

"A game," he repeated. "Want to play?"

"No," Kagome snapped. "I don't want to play a game. Can't we just sit here and wait for your little cronies to come get me, _in silence_?"

Jakotsu shriveled his nose at her with a scoff. "No wonder Inuyasha won't fuck you. You're a downright, bitchy cow. Will you just play the fucking game?"

"I said no!" Kagome repeated, her voice straining.

Sighing, Jakotsu propelled himself off the truck and walked towards the driver's side door. Watching him with confusion and some hesitancy, when she finally saw what he had grabbed, Kagome gulped, gasped, and tried to worm her way backwards. Flicking the safety off the gun in his hand and pointing it at Kagome, Jakotsu winked at her before placing the gun down on the truck bed beside him.

He offered Kagome a fake smile.

"Let's try this again," he said, fingering the weapon. "Say, Kagome, would you like to play a game with me?"

Kagome could not take her eyes off the gun. Her body was frozen in fear. Taking a deep breath, she slowly and unsteadily nodded her head.

" _Ex_ -cellent," he claimed, picking up the gun and rubbing it against his pant leg to clean the grimy metallic finish. "It really is worth your while to say yes."

Standing once more, Jakotsu tucked the gun in the waistband of his pants and approached Kagome. As Jakotsu lifted her to her feet, Kagome struggled to breathe, trying to read the situation.

When Jakotsu took a switchblade out of his back pocket, Kagome screamed. However, Jakotsu just laughed at her, called her silly, and grabbed hold of her by the shoulders.

One at a time, Jakotsu cut the twine that bound her wrists and then her ankles.

Kagome couldn't think straight. What the _hell_ was he doing?

Her captor had both a gun and a knife on him. He just _untied_ her and took a step back, watching her with a challenging smirk on his face. It's like he was daring her to run away. Squaring her shoulders, she faced him, trying to ignore the pang of her throbbing wrist or thudding heart. But, he didn't do anything for the next few moments; he merely stood those few steps away from her, acting dangerously playful with his hands behind his back, challenging her to run.

But she didn't run.

Confident that he was fully in charge of the situation, he continued.

"Would you like to hear the rules to our game?"

Kagome tried to swallow past the lump in her throat and nodded.

Jakotsu smiled. "Do you like tag, Kagome?"

"I used to," she croaked with a dry mouth, pausing to lick her dry lips. "When I was a kid."

"Excellent," he giggled. "Similar rules will apply to our game. You see, because I'm _so_ generous, I'll let you go first and have a head start. I will be the _tag-er_ and you will be the _tag-ee_."

"We're playing tag on the side of the road?"

Jakotsu blew a tuft of air through his lips in irritation. "No, stupid. In the _woods_. You will get a head start to run into the woods beside us. If I can find you, I win."

"So it's just a regular game of tag."

Jakotsu laughed in a way that made Kagome uncomfortable.

"Our game will be…more interesting than regular tag."

Kagome watched Jakotsu finger his switchblade in a way it made her torso feel hollow with dread.

"If I tag you, I win. But," he paused, letting his voice linger, "if you can evade me long enough until our ride gets here, you're free to walk."

Kagome paused, her broken wrist dumbly limp against her stomach. "I don't understand."

"If I can't tag you before our ride gets here, you're free to go home to your beloved Inuyasha."

Kagome's heart was racing. There had to be a catch. There's no way he could mean that.

"Are you ready?" he goaded, reaching to pull the revolver from his waistband. "At the sound of the gun, you get one minute to run before I come to tag you. Good luck, Kagome!"

* * *

Thirty Minutes Earlier

* * *

"This isn't the fastest way to Aokigahara Forest, Inuyasha. You need to take the Fuji Panorama Line!"

"Will you shut up? I know where I'm going!"

"You're not taking the most direct route!"

"You know what I think, Miroku—?"

"—Will _both_ of you just stop!?" Sango interrupted. "You've been going at it non-stop since we piled into this thing."

She exhaled heavily. "I should have opted to drive with the _men_ in one of the reinforcement vans," Sango bemoaned, shifting her weight from where she sat on the middle console between Inuyasha and Miroku. She applied pressure to the bridge of her nose as her headache began to throb behind her eyes. "But instead I'm squished in this toy car with you boys!"

"Toy car!?" Inuyasha shouted incredulously. "I'll have you know, Sango, that the Hennessy Venom GT is the world's fastest street car!"

"Yeah, well my ass is numb," she retorted, wriggling again, trying to avoid Inuyasha's shifter. "You're not the one sitting on cup holders."

"I offered for you to sit in my lap, Sango."

"I'm disappointed in both of you," Sango exhaled with a roll of her eyes, trying to ignore Miroku's comment. "You shouldn't be enjoying this so much. We're rescuing Kagome, in case you forgot."

"You think I'm fucking _enjoying_ myself?" Inuyasha roared.

"Don't raise your voice at Sango, Inuyasha!"

"Fucking bite me, Miroku!"

Sango rolled her eyes again. Miroku and Inuyasha had been at each other's throats since they left the house.

"I still don't understand how you know where she is," Sango commented after a while, changing the subject.

This was her third time trying to goad Inuyasha into spilling what he knew. Ever since he called Miroku, demanding they head down to the garage, Inuyasha had been avoiding the subject.

"Why does _how_ I know matter?" he barked. "The fact is that I know, and we're going to rescue her before that bastard does anything to harm her."

Miroku pulled his phone from his pocket to inspect the GPS.

"My map is showing we would have been exiting towards Aokigahara Forest already if we were on the Fuji Panorama Line!"

"I heard you the first eighteen-hundred times, asshole," Inuyasha groaned. "We can take one of the next exits. I want to check one of the old drop-offs first."

"Drop-offs?" Sango echoed in question, resting a hand on the ceiling of the low-roofed sports car to steady herself. Inuyasha drifted around a corner going one-hundred-ninety kilometres per hour.

"Drugs?" Miroku asked.

Inuyasha shook his head.

"Bodies."

"Oh my God," Sango hissed incredulously with closed eyes.

He was taking them to where the Family disposes of their bodies? She didn't want to believe he was speaking the truth. What the hell had she and Kagome gotten themselves involved in?

What she wouldn't have given to rewind to the days when the two girls were joking around in Inuyasha's garden, wonderfully ignorant that this gangster-mob world existed. Sango's heart longed for when she teased Kagome about Kouga, or when they crashed Rin's birthday party at _Kobura_. They knew nothing about this world then. They were carefree, oblivious to the storm that lay waiting inside the grand house, in the shadow of Inuyasha's past.

Those memories felt like years ago.

Pulling off to the shoulder of the road, Inuyasha ordered a 'stay here' to Miroku and Sango, and they watched helplessly as he headed off into the woods. Within seconds, his body disappeared amidst the trees.

Exhaustion wafting over her, Sango leaned over ever so slightly against Miroku's shoulder. Tears threatened behind her eyes.

"What is going on, Miroku? How is any of this possible?"

Miroku merely exhaled and reached over to caress the top of Sango's hand. He left her comment unanswered in the silence of the car. Sango, too stressed and scared for the wellbeing of her friend, didn't protest Miroku's gesture of comfort.

Ten minutes passed them by in silence before Inuyasha came storming from the woods. Throwing his body into the car, the tires squealed as he took off.

"Any signs of her?" Sango asked hopefully. Irritation laced her tone since Inuyasha didn't freely offer any information upon his return to the car.

"No," he sighed, downshifting to push the engine to a meagre two-hundred-thirty kilometres per hour. "But, that just proves my suspicion."

"What suspicion is that?"

"They want her alive. If they had any intention of killing her right away, they would have been there. She would have been there."

Sango turned to look out the rear window, a frown on her face.

"What? Why would they have brought her out into the middle of nowhere? You said it was a drop off…"

"There's an old Kuzawari outpost back there. And behind the outpost," he paused, overtaking a small sedan, "is the chasm. Our most—" he paused to think of the word, "— _special_ clients were brought to that location. They'd be tortured inside, and then, once it was all over for them, they went into the pit."

" _Torture?"_ Sango shrieked.

Inuyasha didn't respond directly to Sango's outburst; instead, he focused on keeping his anger in check. Rage pooled and taunted him from where it lay in his belly.

"When the _kobun_ or the First Son—fuck, sometimes it was even Naraku. When they got what they wanted out of the poor bastard, the body went into the chasm to stay." Inuyasha swore under his breath. "That place is like a god damn human carcass storage facility."

"That's one way to put it," Miroku grimaced.

"Considering how badly they want me dead, I was positive they would have taken Kagome to that outpost. But there wasn't a single person there," Inuyasha paused to collect his thoughts. "Which means she won't be getting the normal hands-on routine.

"In the past," he droned on, "when that place was emptied, it meant they'd rallied everyone at Naraku's dojo in Aokigahara Forest—it's the next closest Family property in this area. I'm now one-hundred-percent positive _that's_ where they're taking Kagome."

"Why the dojo?" Sango asked, her tone forcibly calmer. She felt on the verge of hyperventilating.

"It's Naraku's favourite place to hold Burning Rituals," Inuyasha stated with a deadpan expression.

"Of course," Miroku sighed with a knowing tone to his voice. "What better place to demonstrate his so-called power and superiority over society than burning someone to death in the middle of a forest? It's just the kind of thing Naraku loved," he lamented. "The ability to show off his control. Only Naraku could control a raging fire in a place capable of burning down around you."

Sango choked on her air. "Hurry, Inuyasha. Please, hurry! Oh, Kagome," she cried, tears cascading her cheeks.

"Miroku," Inuyasha snapped, "where's the next exit towards the Fuji Panorama Line?"

Consulting his GPS once more, Miroku said, "We'll be at the ramp in twelve minutes."

Inuyasha nodded and downshifted once more.

"I'll get us there in five."

* * *

The only thing Kagome could hear was her heartbeat. The only thing she could feel was the icy cold chill of fear caught in her throat.

This wasn't a game of tag. He was hunting her.

Another gunshot rang out behind her and Kagome held back a scream. Pitching her body forward, she fought past the pain, past the fear. She had to live. She had to keep going, even if that meant running until her feet bled, until her heart gave out. She would never let Jakotsu catch her.

Hiding behind the trunk of an ancient tree, Kagome gasped greedily for air, never consuming enough oxygen with each inhale. She felt faint.

How long had she been running out here, dodging his bullets, avoiding his line of sight?

Kagome turned her eyes to inspect her bluish-hued hand. Dirt caked around her fingernails from when she had fallen.

Too distracted by the fear of what was behind her, Kagome had tripped in the beginning. Screaming when she had landed on her broken wrist led to the first time Jakotsu almost caught her. He was close enough for her to hear him shout her name. That was the near miss that taught Kagome that stealth meant silence, endurance, and having to find a way to cope with the pain.

She had to hold her breath for a moment in order to hear her surroundings. She was being reckless again, standing here like this, trying to catch her breath. She needed to keep going.

Taking a deep breath like she was diving underwater, Kagome stepped out from behind the tree.

She ran.

* * *

The three of them sat in silence. Fear left no room for conversation between them.

There hadn't been sight of another car since Inuyasha had turned onto the Fuji Panorama Line. Mankind was the minority on their route; trees enclosed them on all sides. The road on which they traveled was the only sign man had ever laid claim here.

The van came and went from view in his rearview mirror as Inuyasha took off, pushing the boundaries of vehicular speed. When the van would disappear from sight for a prolonged time, he would slow down, wanting to ensure backup didn't get too far lost behind them. If they encountered a fight with the Family—which Inuyasha was fully expecting—he wanted to make sure the men going to cover him with the heavy fire were close behind.

"Inuyasha, stop!" Miroku shouted in a tenor pitch. "On the right, up ahead! The truck! It's the pickup!"

Not needing to be told twice, Inuyasha swerved. He spun the wheel to the side, lurching the car's inhabitants forward as he slammed on the breaks. Miroku hadn't even undone his seatbelt before Inuyasha flew from the driver's seat.

Inuyasha's eyes took it all in. He would not allow a detail to be missed.

The colour of the pickup made the old Toyota look like an intentional landmark for them to find in this treed wonderland. It was eerily stationed there, like it had been waiting for them to find it. It looked like they had stumbled upon a snapshot in time; Inuyasha felt like he could piece together the story in front of them based on how the truck was abandoned. The truck's hood was propped open. The driver's side door gaping. The flatbed cover was ajar, the trunk door down.

Inuyasha kneeled over half-inch-thick bindings that littered the grass by his feet. They looked like they'd been cut with a blade, not torn off.

An enraged, curdling growl gathered in Inuyasha's throat when he observed the reddish-copper tinge painting one of the bindings.

These had been on Kagome. So tightly, she had bled.

Inuyasha bade a promise to every ethereal being watching him right then—Jakotsu was going to die.

"We found her location," Miroku declared into a walkie-talkie. "All units on my location. Now. Upon disembarkation, firearms at the ready."

"Yes, sir!" two separate voices called back.

"Miroku, Sango, you two stay—"

They all heard it: the sound that stole the next few words out of Inuyasha's mouth.

A gunshot.

Close enough to cause them to panic. Close enough to fill Inuyasha's chest with both dread for her life and hope that Kagome was on the verge of being rescued.

Charging into the forest in front of him, Inuyasha ignored the screams projected at him from the people behind him. A gunshot was a sound not inherent in nature.

Pushing his legs as fast as they would carry him, Inuyasha begged Kagome to be safe. He dodged bulking, skyscraper trees, shrubs, and overhanging brush. He could smell the lingering scent of gunpowder. As he ran, his thoughts hovered dangerously close to the edge of him losing all hope, fearing for her safety.

* * *

Minutes Later

* * *

Renkotsu propped his elbow against the passenger window, his eyes drifting lazily over the treed surroundings. The four _kobuns_ in the back chatted loudly, their subject matter often causing Renkotsu to roll his eyes in disdain. He wasn't allowed to leave with any First Sons; he was instructed to take these _rookies_ with him. Had they even killed someone before? They looked like babies to Renkotsu.

Sighing, he continued to ignore them. That is, until the driver of the cargo van drew his attention to the pickup truck and the two black vans parked near it.

"Fuck me," Renkotsu hissed, pitching forward in his seat.

"That fucking Naichō prick is here," Renkotsu cursed to the newbies behind him. "Load up!" he shouted at them. "Make sure to pack extra ammo. They came for Kagome after all."

Once the driver parked the car, he readily accepted a loaded gun from one of the men in the back of the van.

"Remember the instructions," Renkotsu barked. "You don't shoot to kill Inuyasha or Kagome, understand, _faggots_? The _oyabun_ wants them alive."

Renkotsu smirked as the men shouted their consent, threw open the side of the van, and thundered their way into the woods.

Standing tall outside the van, Renkotsu tucked two revolvers in the waistband of his pants. Before the _kobuns_ were too far out of view, he placed both hands around his mouth as a pseudo-megaphone.

"Bonus points for any man who puts a bullet between the eyes of any of their accomplices!"

* * *

Inuyasha rested his hand against the tree-trunk. He could feel his heart pounding violently in his throat. She had stopped here. Tried to catch her breath.

 _You made it this far, Kagome_ , Inuyasha thought. He turned to survey the area, trying to sense which way she may have run.

 _You better not have let that asshole catch you_.

Angling his eyes downwards, Inuyasha made out the few droplets of blood pooled on top of dried leaves.

She went that way, he realized.

Whose blood was this? Hers? Jakotsu's? Had Jakotsu shot her?

Inuyasha was not a pious man, but he prayed to any deity available then, begging that what he just found was not Kagome's blood.

Inuyasha forced down a lump of panic gathering in his throat and pushed past the image that came to his mind: a blue-lipped Kagome, slowly dying, slumping to the side underneath a tree.

 _Get your shit together_ , he commanded himself. _If Kagome were here she'd tell you to stay positive, don't let those thoughts get the better of you._

The sound of groveling drew Inuyasha out of his inner dialogue.

He recognized those sounds—someone begging for their life. A human being's tone could only ever reach that level of desperation when they realized that death was closing in on them.

Barrelling his body forward, Inuyasha tore through the brush, clawing his way to the clearing before him.

Standing with his torso angled slightly forwards, Inuyasha maintained his balance, his hands at his sides. His knees he kept bent; his body on high alert because of the scene before him. For a moment, he was rendered immobile by shock.

Jakotsu stood with his back to Inuyasha. A small twig obtruded from his forearm, blood pooling and collecting at his elbow, dripping into a pond below him. Kagome, he held by the neck, up against the tree. Her throat gurgled cries of desperation beneath Jakotsu's hands. Jakotsu's voice streamed chains of violence at Kagome, threatening her for fighting back.

"Tag, you stupid bitch," Jakotsu grunted, his hands shaking from the pressure he applied to Kagome's throat. "You thought you could beat me? Thought stabbing me in the arm would do the trick?"

Kagome's widened eyes turned then, finally noticing Inuyasha. Tears trickled down her cheeks from being choked, but seeing Inuyasha overwhelmed her with sobs of relief.

When Inuyasha caught her eye, he only saw a murderous rage.

Kagome's name hadn't fully left Inuyasha's lips before he dove his body, his shoulder, into Jakotsu's midsection. Both men screaming, Inuyasha fell atop Jakotsu on the ground. The two rolled and writhed as they brawled, each trying to assert their dominance over the other.

Kagome collapsed to her knees, gasping for air, coughing.

As if a switch had been pulled in Jakotsu, his violent attitude towards Inuyasha receded, and he started laughing with joy.

"You made it!" Jakotsu squealed, throwing his arms around Inuyasha's neck.

Inuyasha cursed at Jakotsu, urging his body upwards to leave the pervert on the forest floor. Punching Jakotsu in the face to keep him stationary, Inuyasha sputtered to his feet. Confident that Jakotsu wouldn't be getting up anytime soon, he hurried to Kagome's side, his eyes hyperaware of the blood on her ankles, her knees, and the hue of her hand and wrist, clearly broken.

Inuyasha dropped to his knees beside her, his hands reaching for her cheeks. Resting his forehead against hers, Inuyasha used his palms to caress her hair and face.

He found her in time. He had never been so fucking thankful for anything in his entire life.

Kagome cried out his name.

"I'm so fucking relieved you're okay," he whispered, allowing his eyes to close.

"I didn't think you'd come," her hoarse throat wept. "I wouldn't have blamed you this time."

"Shut your mouth," Inuyasha commanded, his tone still yielding. "I'll always come for you, Kagome."

"I'm so sorry, Inuyasha," Kagome sobbed, throwing her uninjured arm around his neck, burrowing her tear-stained face into his shoulder. "I shouldn't have slapped you. I was a complete idiot. Please forgive me," she begged. " _Puh_ -please," she stammered, her sobs juddering her whole body, his body from their proximity.

"You have nothing to apologize for, you idiot," he snorted.

Hearing Jakotsu ' _aww'_ at the two of them behind his back, the reality of the situation dropped heavily into Inuyasha's mind. Inuyasha released his comforting grasp of Kagome and stood. Turning to face Jakotsu, his eyebrows furrowed with an uncontrollable rage threatening to explode from his centre.

"I'll fucking kill you for what you've done to her."

Jakotsu snorted and directed his eyes to the branch still engrossed in his skin.

"Her?" Jakotsu choked. "What about me? She fucking stabbed me with part of a tree, Inuyasha. You don't even care that I'm injured?"

Inuyasha growled. "That's nothing in comparison to what I'm about to do to you."

Jakotsu giggled. "Oh, Inuyasha. You haven't changed one bit; you still like to play with your food too.

"You know," Jakotsu sneered, turning his eyes and attention upon Kagome. "I knew where you were the whole time we were playing, by the way. Do you have any idea just how _obvious_ you are, Kagome? Fuck, I could make out your trail without even _trying_. Blubbering like a little bitch the whole time too. Clearly, you sucked at hide and seek as a kid."

He laughed when Inuyasha snarled at Jakotsu's words.

"I was really getting off at the thought of you festering in fear too," he continued, smirking at her. "I liked that you were scared, thinking that I was going to tag you at any second. I'm only a little disappointed that none of my bullets went near you."

"You're still a fucking creep," Inuyasha grunted. "You always were fucked up in the head, getting hard over this shit."

"It wasn't just the violence that made me hard, Inuyasha, if you recall," he taunted with a wink.

"Jakotsu!"

The three of them turned their attention to the two _kobuns_ who fought their way through the bush. Recognizing Jakotsu's voice on their way by, they changed course and came scurrying over. Having only seen Inuyasha and Kagome once they were in the clearing, they began to panic. One of them shouted for Jakotsu, motioning him towards them. The other cocked a gun at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha laughed at both of them.

"Nice new recruits you got there," Inuyasha joked. "They don't even know how to hold a gun properly."

Jakotsu put an aggravated hand on his forehead.

 _Of course, Renkotsu wouldn't have brought any First Sons with him. They're all preparing for my arrival with Kagome._

Jakotsu amusedly watched the confrontation happening before him.

The clearly younger and more immature of the two _kobuns_ was attempting to approach Kagome, his extended arm pointing the gun at Inuyasha, warning him to stay put.

Inuyasha laughed. "You clearly have no idea what you're doing," he patronized. "You think pointing that _toy_ at me is going to intimidate me enough that I'll let you get close to Kagome? Nice try, kid. I dare you to get within five fucking feet of her."

"Don't approach her!" Jakotsu snapped. "Put your fucking gun down—you're not to harm either of them."

Inuyasha smirked and flexed his fist. "Awfully kind of you to stand up for us, Jakotsu. We don't need your help though. Let these two brats make an attempt on my life. Both of you at the same time. I fucking dare you. Let's see what you got."

"Don't encourage them, Inuyasha!" Kagome shrieked from where she sat, watching the two _kobuns_ ready themselves for a fight with Inuyasha.

"You just stay where you are, Kagome," Inuyasha beckoned to her, not taking his eyes off the men in front of him. "I can handle these assholes."

The two _kobuns_ charged at Inuyasha with a scream. The one shot at Inuyasha, his face dropping when he saw how expertly Inuyasha dodged the bullet. Taking a rounded approach at full speed towards them, the one _kobun_ couldn't reload fast enough before Inuyasha was upon him.

Kagome forced her head to the side, refusing to watch as Inuyasha's hands landed on either side of the _kobun's_ head. The profound snap that followed resonated a chill throughout Kagome's body. Clenching her eyes shut, she listened to the body collapse to the dirt. The remaining _kobun_ roared.

"At least give me some kind of challenge," Inuyasha goaded, swapping fists with the remaining _kobun_.

"I'm gonna fucking _bleed_ you, you back-stabbing motherfucker!"

Inuyasha released a bellowing blast of a laugh from his belly.

"What do you think this is? Another _blood oath_? Fucking pathetic!"

Kagome watched the _kobun_ throw his weight at Inuyasha and miss, falling to the ground onto his front with a roll. Her eyes turned to take in Jakotsu, fearful for him to make a move on Inuyasha while Inuyasha was distracted. However, her brows furrowed and her mouth opened in confusion and bewilderment that Jakotsu just _stood_ there. He was doing nothing to defend his so-called brothers. His expression conveyed the same playful smirk he always had plastered on his stupid face.

Hearing a gunshot ring out around her, Kagome screamed and drew herself into her shoulders. Slowly turning her head to see what had happened, to make sure Inuyasha wasn't on the receiving end, she choked on her inhalations.

Inuyasha stood with the weapon in his hand, smoke billowing from its opening. Kagome could see the faint definition of a reddened-black hole in the _kobun's_ forehead. Then his expressionless face fell from view as his body crumpled into the dirt.

Kagome didn't respond; she couldn't.

Inuyasha really was correct in how he earlier described himself; he really did take those two boys' lives like it was nothing.

 _He did it in my defence_ , she thought. But, the notion did nothing to appease her churning insides.

What surprised her most was how numb she was to her surroundings. She had watched that boy die as detachedly and indifferently as watching a movie. Kagome's exhaustion and adrenaline left her emotionally stunted. She couldn't feel anything anymore. Unrelenting and continuous feelings of fear had enveloped her in a disoriented bubble.

Inuyasha, meanwhile, turned his attention to Jakotsu.

"You want a piece of me now, you bastard?"

Jakotsu readied his stance as if he was about to charge at Inuyasha.

"Always," Jakotsu said.

Then, he attacked.

Watching Inuyasha and Jakotsu lunge at each other in an intimate dance of death, their hands at each other's throats, Kagome knew she was useless to help.

In her uselessness, Kagome's thoughts turned inward.

How did she feel about Inuyasha, really? Was Jakotsu's taunting correct? Did she really love him?

Kagome watched Jakotsu go skidding across the dirt; he threw words of taunting at Inuyasha who accepted them all too willingly. He threw himself at Jakotsu with a raucous shout.

Kagome's thoughts bore on.

She had experienced a whole new level of intimacy with Inuyasha, and the thought of how he made her feel rendered her speechless. Could a history of violence and rage really trump these feelings? Loving him could never undo what he's done, what's been done to him. She realized that.

Kagome screamed as Jakotsu threw his entire weight into a blow to Inuyasha's chin. Inuyasha's body recoiled, causing him to kneel on the ground to gather himself. He forced past feelings of discombobulation.

"Get up, Inuyasha!" she screamed, her eyes widening as Jakotsu's bleeding, heavy-breathing form pointed a shaking gun at Inuyasha.

 _If we both live through this, I'll tell him how I really feel. I mean it_. _I think I do love him. I really want to be able to love him. Can I forgive what he's done? He doesn't owe me anything—it's not my place to judge what he's done. I can never forget, but I can accept that's who he was. I can accept that he's chosen to be different, to be the Inuyasha I first met._

The old Inuyasha—Jakotsu's version of Inuyasha—would never have come for Kagome. But he _did._ That was the only evidence Kagome needed that he wasn't the same man he was.

 _He's lived a life I would never have wanted or chosen for myself_ , she thought, her mind watching the verbal exchange between an exhausted Inuyasha and an even more wearied Jakotsu. Her thoughts were running too intensely she couldn't hear the words they traded.

 _But, he's different now_ , she thought, watching him stand in front of her, his arms out at his sides. He was protecting her, defending her.

She couldn't love him if she couldn't accept his past—this was a fact circling her mind. To love Inuyasha was to love his temper, his boyish antics and remarks, the immaturity and sarcasm, and the gruffness he used in approach to every situation. But, it was his boyishness he used to flirt with her, and it was his temper that showed her he really cared; no one got angry over something they didn't care about. The sarcasm she could do without, but she smiled at that thought—no one was perfect.

Especially not Inuyasha.

Kagome closed her eyes to the violence before her. She didn't want to see the blood. She didn't want to hear the exchange of sadistic and pugnacious words.

Closing her eyes and her ears, Kagome coddled the feeling growing within her, the relief that acceptance of his past would allow her to amalgamate the violence that was, and the reality that is, Inuyasha.

Her light-headedness getting the best of her, Kagome unknowingly fell into sleep. The numbness of her emotions and the hours and hours she'd been awake finally overtook her willpower to be conscious.

As Jakotsu fell to his knees, spitting blood from his mouth, telling Inuyasha he'd see him in Hell, Inuyasha ended it all. With the flourish of Inuyasha's strength, Jakotsu's neck snapped to the side, severing his spinal cord. The joviality on his face dissipated as his muscles unwound and his torso pitched forward. A billow of dust surrounded the corpse.

Grunting for breath and wiping the blood from his mouth, Inuyasha unevenly made his way towards Kagome's unconscious form. First making certain she was still breathing, Inuyasha eased himself to the ground, wincing as he wrapped an arm around her and drew her into him.

He was acutely aware of the barrage of battle echoing in the trees around them. Gunfire sounded. Screams echoed.

Knowing he had to stay conscious to protect Kagome, Inuyasha closed his eyes for just a moment, trying to will himself to regain his strength.

His thoughts turned to Miroku and Sango, as well as the reinforcements they had brought with them. Inuyasha didn't know where those two _kobun_ had come from, and from the sounds around him, he couldn't pinpoint just how many people there were fighting. But, it was enough that he knew he still had to stay on guard for Kagome.

Turning his head to look at her, Inuyasha's heart quivered. He admired how she had persevered; she had fought back. Inuyasha would never have known her strength. It took guts for her to fight back, and stabbing Jakotsu with a branch? Inuyasha snickered. He was quite proud of her.

Observing her wounds, Inuyasha reached forward with his less injured arm and brushed a hair off her cheek. Her face was red and her eyes were swollen. Her body looked bruised, and her wrist _really_ looked messed up.

Inuyasha didn't know how he was going to forgive himself for this one.

"You better promise me, Kagome," he whispered to her, running the backs of his knuckles down her face. "That you'll never put me through that kinda worry again."

He sighed and placed a lingering kiss on her forehead.

"Promise me," he whispered against her flushed skin. "Don't leave me again."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Welp—this is by far the longest chapter of the whole story. What did you think? Was it enough of an emotional roller coaster for you? Jakotsu's character was so interesting to write! I'd love to hear your thoughts. Especially with what you think the next few chapters will bring!

A huge thanks to everyone keeping up with the story. I really do, truly, appreciate your kind words of encouragement. This story is for you.


	28. Scar Tissue

_**Author's Note**_

What? Two chapters in one month? Who am I? lol. This chapter basically wrote itself. I have a sneaking suspicion you all will enjoy this one. I really enjoyed writing it.

Please read and review!

* * *

 **Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Scar Tissue_

* * *

Heaviness. Warmth. These were the two sensations that accosted Kagome as her eyelashes fluttered with wakefulness.

Peeking out into the bright rays of light, Kagome shriveled her nose. The heavy, dull lingering of what was once a monstrous headache sat noticeably behind her eyes. Her sight having slowly adjusted to the brightness of the space around her, she allowed her eyes the tedious task of opening further. An overwhelming confusion wrenched in her gut and mind upon noticing she was in her room.

Well, the room Inuyasha had given her at Sengoku Manor.

She was back.

Willing her body to move, Kagome's eyes turned to observe her lower torso, covered with the heftiness of the down duvet. The sheets devoured her figure below her breasts, which were prominent and protruding in her hunter green t-shirt.

When had she changed into pajamas?

Her cheeks flushed.

 _Who_ had changed her into pajamas?

Her body was screaming from heat. Forcing her legs to move, Kagome tried to climb out of the covers; however, she stopped just as soon as she started. Her entire body thudded with a monotonous heartbeat from the pain. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. Her senses felt slow, delayed, lagging, almost as if she had been drugged. Turning her eyes lazily across the ceiling, Kagome allowed several moments to pass in silence, waiting for the drumming in her body to fade to stillness.

She released a pent up breath. Then, she stifled a cry of gratitude in her throat.

She had been rescued from Jakotsu. She really was back.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Kagome opened her eyes with a new resolve, determined to cool down her increasing body temperature. Lowering her eyes, as her arms mimicked the gesture and lowered the sheets, Kagome's coffee orbs widened with surprise: it wasn't the duvet making her feel warm and weighted-down, it was an arm casually draped across her mid-section, rising with each of her breaths.

Kagome's rounded eyes admired the sheer masculinity of the limb. The rigid, broad-knuckled digits of the hand. The crossroads of pronounced veins that ran the length of the forearm. The almost-gold, fine hairs barely visible against the peachiness of the flesh.

Her eyes climbed to the elbow, then the bicep, and then the shoulder. When her sights finally landed on the sleeping face of Inuyasha, Kagome's senses and heart softened.

How were they back at the house? When did they return?

The last thing Kagome remembered was leaning against the trunk of the large tree while Inuyasha and Jakotsu tried to dominate the other. She remembered the all-consuming gravity of her feelings: her resolve to accept Inuyasha. Accept his past. Accept how she felt for him.

Her eyes slowly drifted over his facial features, and she smiled.

He really had come for her after all. He really had saved her from Jakotsu.

Forcing her mind to forget the grotesque words Jakotsu had thrown at her viciously, Kagome willed her mind to focus on the present. Her eyes couldn't bear to leave the sight of him, taking in the shape of his eyes, the curve of his nose.

She studied his features with an intimacy never previously granted to her.

His eyelashes fluttered delicately against defined cheekbones. Dark eyebrows contrasted the languid silver tresses that framed his face. His lips, slightly dampened from drool, parted as barely audible breaths passed through them.

Kagome's stomach tightened with the sudden desire to kiss him.

There had never been a time Kagome recalled seeing him so at peace. Her eyes observed lines in his forehead and between his eyebrows, ragged from years of frowning. Smiling, she took notice of the fainter lines around his eyes, signalling years of grinning.

Her heart yearned for him more in that moment than it ever had. His body didn't feel close enough to hers. The words her mind used to comprehend her feelings for him were inadequate.

Her body cluing in to how tremendously warm she was, Kagome grimaced. She slowly wiggled her leg until it emerged from the sheets, at the side of the bed. Feeling Inuyasha's arm move across her stomach, Kagome flinched and turned her head towards him.

Half-lidded golden spheres confronted her questioningly.

"You're awake," his groggy voice uttered.

"Did I wake you?" She asked with wide, apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry."

His jaw extended in a wide yawn he concluded with a smack of his lips. He rolled more prominently onto his side to face her, his arm never leaving her stomach.

"Nah, I just didn't feel like sleepin' anymore."

Swallowing past the lump in her throat, Kagome's brain observed that Inuyasha was shirtless beside her. The duvet casually draped across his waist, and her heart pounded at the unanswered question of what he was wearing—if anything—on his lower torso.

"How are you feeling, Kagome?"

Hearing her name drew her out of her asinine thoughts. A soft pink coated her cheeks.

"Headachy," she responded with a sigh. "Tired. My body just generally hurts."

"Your wrist?"

That's right. Jakotsu's nasty prank of pushing her down that hill had caused her to break her wrist. For the first time, Kagome thought to scour her body to inspect herself. Her eyes widened and teared-up when she noticed the off-white plaster cast surrounding her hand and wrist. Rubbing her fingertips along the coarse material, Kagome closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing and her increasing heartbeat.

"I didn't want to believe I'd actually broken it," she exhaled. "I don't even remember getting the cast put on." She turned her eyes expectantly to Inuyasha for answers.

"Miroku arranged for Kaede and a medic to be ready for us when we got back," he offered willingly. "Kaede set you straight—" Kagome winced at the words. "—and the medic casted you."

Feeling a tingle in her dry throat, Kagome turned her face away from him to cough, raising her un-casted hand to her lips. As her neck met Inuyasha's gaze, his arm lifted from her belly to caress the bruises on her neck from where Jakotsu had choked her.

"I'd fucking kill him again if I could," Inuyasha hissed. The comment drew Kagome's eyes to his, a softness and a fearful understanding meeting his haggard gaze.

A part of her knew Inuyasha had killed him. It was an unneeded thing to say, a simple truth Kagome could have willingly accepted but never needed him to voice in confirmation.

Raising her hand to her own neck, Kagome winced as clumsy fingers poked the mauve-tinted welts.

"I—" she paused, "—I don't remember—"

Why couldn't she remember Jakotsu choking her? Jakotsu dying? Was her mind trying to protect her from those memories?

"—Do you remember what happened, Kagome? At the tree? When I found you?"

 _I don't_ …

Her eyebrows furrowed with an alarmed, questioning gaze given in response.

Inuyasha nodded. "When I first found you, you had stabbed that asshole in the arm with a twig because he was…He had his hands around…"

Inuyasha left the words unspoken as he continued to lavish gentle caresses across her neck. He hated how some of the discolouration looked like a handprint, fingerprints.

Kagome nodded best she could despite her headache and the battered muscles in her neck. "That explains why my throat is so sore."

Inuyasha's face grew dim, his lips tightly drawn. His fingers continued their ministrations on her neck in an attempt to comfort her.

"Why aren't—" Inuyasha began after a moment's silence. He retracted his hand from her so quickly it almost startled her. His tone darkened with furrowed eyebrows. "I'm surprised you're not throwing me out of here."

She shot him an incredulous look. "Why would I do that?"

"Because it's my fault that bastard took you, _hurt_ you," he spat. "I will _never_ for—"

Inuyasha's words disappeared at the feel of Kagome's palm cupping his cheek, her thumb lazily caressing his cheekbone. She was grateful her action silenced him. She didn't want the gentleness that existed between them to disappear because of Inuyasha's swayable temperament.

"I don't," she paused to lick her lips, "I don't want to hear you talk like that, okay, Inuyasha?"

His heart beat feverishly in his chest, his eyes playing tennis between her scrutiny and the growing flush on her cheeks.

"I don't want to talk about it. Okay?" Her poignant gaze turned downwards to the sheets. Her palm remained in place on his cheek, her face still flushed. "Not a single thing that happened was your fault, and I don't want to hear you blame yourself."

He nodded dumbly, mentally cursing himself for feeling his resolve melt away childishly.

Sighing, Inuyasha removed her bangs from her forehead, running his knuckles across her temples and down the side of her face. Kagome closed her eyes and relished the feel of his touch against her skin.

"I'm just so fucking _relieved_ you're okay," he whispered hotly, his eyes turned away from hers. "I keep," he paused, "I keep seeing it—him trying to hurt you. And I just— _fuck!_ I can't stand it, Kagome. Thinkin' that I almost never saw you again."

"Please don't talk like that, Inuyasha," Kagome begged, shuffling her body closer to his. Her hand left his cheek to rest on his shoulder. His skin scorched her palm on contact. "I don't want to think about him," she whimpered, tears coating her eyelashes but not shedding. "I don't want to think about what happened, what he said about you."

Her voice caught in her throat as unsaid words bottlenecked inside her. Inuyasha understood the pleading tone of her voice and he reached for her in response. Wrapping clumsy arms around her, careful not to aggravate her injuries, Inuyasha pulled her into his chest. Closing his eyes, he squeezed her as softly as he could, wanting her to feel the embrace, to understand the words he wanted to say but couldn't phrase.

He could feel her breath against his sternum. Her hair tickled his chin. Her nose indented just below his collarbone. He could feel the graininess of her cast against his pecs; the reminder of her injury reignited the antagonizing guilt he felt and tried to contain.

"Thank you, Inuyasha," she mouthed into his skin. Her breath burnt into his flesh. "I don't even know what to say."

He could hear in her voice the tears she was trying to withhold. As she whispered another thank you, tears found a way to escape from the ducts in her eyes and she was quick to raise her uninjured hand, swiping them away.

"I'm sorry," she choked out in a small laugh. "I didn't mean to cry on you."

With gawky fingers, she tried to wipe away the tears that had dripped onto Inuyasha and glistened against his chest. Inuyasha exhaled gruffly, catching her fingers in his and bringing them to his lips. Kagome flushed as she felt his breath and then his lips against her fingertips. She closed her eyes and felt her tense body slowly unwind as Inuyasha released her hand and drew her into his chest, into a hug, once more.

"You don't need to apologize, stupid," he chastised. His tone was warm and Kagome smiled, hearing the endearment and the smirk in his voice.

She sighed and allowed herself to be held, enjoying the feel of his heat and his arms, enjoying the feel of his skin against her cheek.

"I really needed this," she said softly almost inaudibly, tucking her hands underneath her chin.

"Whatever you need, Kagome," he responded, bringing his hand to rest on the back of her neck. "I'll give you whatever you need. Just ask."

She shook her head, smiling, blushing. "This is good for now."

 _For now_ , his mind echoed, resting his chin on her head, his eyes bearing into the wall in front of him.

Closing his eyes, he tried to quell the emotions and the arousal pooling in his stomach. He hated how easily his fear melded into excitement. Mentally warning his body to nip his growing erection in the bud, Inuyasha knew it wasn't about what he wanted right now. If she gave the word, he would do anything for her. Even if that meant holding her like this until she had enough of him.

"You're really warm, Inuyasha," she exhaled with a small chuckle. "It's like hugging a furnace."

Inuyasha snorted. "Yeah, well, you're so tiny I feel like I'm about to break you."

Kagome snorted back at him. "I'm not _that_ tiny."

"Compared to me you are," he retorted. "Even your hands are dainty little things."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't necessarily say they're _dainty_."

"Sure they are," he quipped. "Look at them compared to mine."

Lifting his hand from her back, Inuyasha implored her arm from its cradle underneath her chin. Kagome watched with bashful eyes as her palm met the coarseness of Inuyasha's palm. Her eyes took stock of how fragile her thin digits seemed in the shadow of his calloused fingers.

"See? Like little twigs."

"They're not twigs," she cried indignantly, laughing.

Gesturing to move her hand away, she stopped when Inuyasha's fingers bent to clasp onto hers. Kagome licked her lips as she watched their fingers slowly intertwine before her eyes.

She suddenly grew very self-conscious of how vividly her heart was pounding in her chest.

"I don't remember coming home," Kagome muttered. She couldn't take her eyes off their conjoined hands.

 _Home_ , Inuyasha's mind echoed. He could feel his heart thumping wildly. He couldn't recall a time in his life where he felt so at ease, and simultaneously so fragile.

"You passed out pretty quick," he replied. "Don't really blame you after the day you had."

"Did I put myself to bed?"

There it was. The question she felt nervous, scared, and yet bold to ask. She waited hungrily for the answer to her suspicions.

"No," he answered, drawing a thud from her heart. "You were out-cold so I had to carry you in here. Sango got you into bed though."

"Sango," Kagome mimicked, her mind racing. "But, um—" she licked her lips. How should she put this? "But, how did you—I mean, you and me in—That's to say, when did you get in bed with—"

Kagome's face was beet red watching Inuyasha lower their joined hands onto the duvet.

"You—you don't remember?" he stuttered. He was grateful her forehead rested against his chest so she couldn't see the embarrassment on his face. "Sango said you asked for me."

"I did?"

He nodded dumbly. "She said you were scared to go to bed alone. She said—" he paused to lick his lips. "—She said you wanted me to sleep with you."

Kagome's heart leapt into her throat.

"That's embarrassing," she murmured into his chest.

He laughed at her words, feeling his emotions steel themselves with a sudden boldness. "You know nothing happened, right?"

She raised her head to look him in the eye. He felt his heart drop into his stomach at her combined look of discomfiture, vulnerability, and arousal. He swallowed.

"I would never do anything to make you uncomfortable, Kagome."

"I know that," she breathed, turning her eyes away.

Inuyasha caught her cheek in his palm and urged her gaze to meet his. "I mean it. I would never do anything to hurt you, Kagome."

"I know that," she repeated. "It's just," she paused, her cheeks flushed. "Did I really phrase it that way?"

Inuyasha laughed through his nose at her, unable to hide the smirk on his face. "Why? Does it embarrass you that you told Sango you wanted to sleep with me?"

Kagome gulped. The insinuation of his words caused her Kegel muscles to contract.

" _Sleep_ -sleep with me," Kagome pressed, her face flushed in a pout.

Inuyasha smirked. "You don't remember going to bed at all. How would you remember what you meant?"

Kagome looked at him with alarm in her eyes. "I didn't try to—Oh God, please tell me I didn't—"

Inuyasha interrupted her words with a laugh and he placed a reassuring kiss against her forehead.

"Relax, stupid," he coaxed with a smirk. _"You_ didn't do anything. _I_ didn't do anything. We just slept."

 _Why do I wish that something_ had _happened_? Her mind questioned. She turned her eyes to trace the veins in his bicep while her thoughts turned inward.

Closing her eyes, her mind was assaulted with unwanted thoughts; concepts Kagome didn't want to endure came to the forefront of her mind. Sharing a bed with Inuyasha made her question how many women he really had slept with, been with in the same intimate embrace he now held her. Jakotsu's words about Inuyasha and Kikyou formed a knot in her stomach. She felt overwhelmed at the notion he and Kikyou had been together for years and not even Kikyou had been able to change Inuyasha.

Change Inuyasha.

Was Jakotsu right? Did she really intend to change him?

Kagome felt so out of her depth it made her quiver with insecurity.

Mistaking her shivering for feeling cold, Inuyasha released her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulders. In response, Kagome's eyes fell to inspect the abandoned palm, her skin itching for his warmth again.

"Do you need me to get you anything, Kagome? Are you hungry?"

His words made her sigh and she offered him an appreciative smile. She knew she needed to keep her distance from those depression-inducing thoughts. She needed that. Inuyasha needed that.

"No," she replied softly, turning her eyes downwards in embarrassment. "I'm okay. I don't want you to go. This," she paused, her cheeks flaming, "this is nice."

Inuyasha swallowed, becoming suddenly aware of how warm his own face felt.

"You really should eat soon," he chastised to hide his nervousness. "You slept for a really long time."

"How long?"

"A day and a bit."

"What?" she cried, turning puzzled eyes to look at him. "You're joking—there's no way I could have slept for more than a day!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at her. "Why would I joke about that?"

"And you—" she blushed, "—You stayed that whole time?"

"Well, yeah," he replied huffily, scratching at his cheek. "You told me you wanted me to stay with you."

"But—but," she blubbered, "What about food? And you know," she blushed, "other stuff?"

Inuyasha shrugged lazily. "I pretty much dozed the whole time. Didn't really think about it."

She relaxed within his arms and rested her blushing cheek against his chest once more. Her body was starting to warm, but feeling his body so close to hers made her want to endure the heat some more.

As silence lingered between them, Kagome tried to wrap her mind around the idea that she had been asleep for a whole day.

Why couldn't she remember coming back? Sango putting her bed? Her asking for Inuyasha? As Kagome furrowed her brows in an effort to focus her mind on the previous days' events, her eyes widened with clarity as faint bouts of consciousness and memories teased their way to the present.

She remembered looking out through groggy eyelashes, bearing witness to Miroku with his arm in a tourniquet, directing men who placed corpses in the back of the van. Kagome remembered the feeling of arms wrapped around her shoulders and under the backs of her knees, keeping her in place as the van shook from the weight of bodies eased into the trunk. She remembered Sango's bloody lip coming into view as the girl kissed Kagome's forehead in gratitude she was alive. Kagome recalled hearing the soft hisses and groans escaping Inuyasha's mouth and throat as a man stitched Inuyasha's hand closed while in the van.

"I think I remember the car ride home," she said suddenly, turning her eyes to his face.

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows at her in response. "I'm not really surprised. You seemed to have your eyes open for a while there."

Her cheeks instantly warmed at the recollection of Inuyasha holding Kagome within his arms, keeping her stationary on his lap during the ride. She thought she remembered hearing Inuyasha growl someone away at the mention of taking Kagome away from him.

"You aggravated your injury," she chastised softly, reaching behind her in search of his hand. She spoke to force her mind from her embarrassing thoughts.

Inuyasha watched her grip his wrist and raise the limb to her vision. He rotated his hand to observe the coarse, black, barbed-wire-looking lining in his skin. "It looks worse than it feels," he remarked. "Can barely feel the damn thing."

"What about Sango and Miroku?" she asked, releasing his arm. "Are they okay?"

Inuyasha's eyes darkened in memory. "A _kobun_ went after Sango; she put up a good enough fight for a while."

 _Sango was physically fighting?_ Kagome's mind lurched, her stomach turning with nausea at the idea.

"The asshole knocked her around, I guess, splitting her lip. Miroku was there to see it and punched him out cold." Inuyasha snorted. "That idiot injured his already gimp hand in the process."

Kagome's eyes watered for her friends. "But everybody's okay?"

Inuyasha nodded. "We're fine, Kagome. You got the worst of it."

Kagome cringed as her eyes turned to survey her casted hand again.

"I don't even know how to say thank you," she whispered, her eyes stinging from withheld tears. "You guys came for me. I don't even know what would have happened if—"

"—If I'm not allowed to go there, Kagome, neither are you." He turned his face away from her angrily. "I don't want to hear about what that fucker did you. All's I know is he's dead and good-fucking-riddance to him."

Kagome leaned away from Inuyasha, her palm resting against his chest. She wanted to see his whole face.

"Other than my wrist, I really am okay, Inuyasha—you don't need to worry."

Inuyasha growled and loosened his grip on her until his left arm lay under her pillow and his right dangled around her waist.

"You don't get it though," he cursed. "I _do_ need to worry. This shit is far from over, Kagome. There's still two of them left—three if you count Naraku."

"We'll be safe if we stay here, won't we? I won't leave again. We can—"

"—Damn straight you won't leave again," Inuyasha snapped, interrupting her. "Do you have any idea what you fucking did to me when you left like that? To find out that motherfucker took you _because_ you left?"

Kagome scoffed. "That's some selective memory you got there, Inuyasha. Don't you remember _why_ I left? Sure, you had every right to be pissed at Souta—I mean, _I_ was pissed at him—but to get physical with him like that? It was completely unnecessary!"

"Unnecessary?" He barked. " _Slapping_ me was unnecessary!"

Her cheeks reddened. "Yeah, well, you made me angry. And if it makes you feel any better, I didn't _enjoy_ hitting you." Her demeanour softened as she withdrew into herself. "I really regret doing that."

Inuyasha raised his arm from her waist and covered her hand where it rested on his chest. Kagome's eyes bore into the gesture.

"Can you forgive me, Inuyasha?" she muttered softly.

Inuyasha sighed. "There's nothing to forgive, Kagome. We both acted like idiots."

"I still feel badly," she sighed. "I shouldn't have treated you the way I did. I shouldn't have run like that."

"Just shut up about it," he scolded, pulling her into his chest once more. She blushed at the feeling of his breath against her scalp from where his lips rested. "Why do you keep having to remind me you chose to leave?"

"I don't want to leave," Kagome flushed, her heart drumming rampantly from his word choice. "I could—" she paused, closing her eyes as his scent overran her senses and left her momentarily speechless. "—I could stay like this all day if I was able to."

"Nothing's stopping us," Inuyasha offered. Kagome shivered as he ran his fingers up and down her arm.

"We've been in bed for a day," Kagome objected with red cheeks.

"It's actually been more than day," he corrected.

Kagome snorted. "All the more reason we should get up and go check on the others."

"You don't enjoy being in bed with me, Kagome?"

She swallowed. "I didn't say that."

"Then why are you in such a rush to leave?"

"I'm not in a rush." She could feel her heart vibrating against her sternum, echoing through her stomach.

"Feh—you sure sound like it."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Stop trying to pick a fight, Inuyasha."

"I'm not!"

She laughed and allowed herself to snuggle closer into his chest. She closed her eyes relishing the feel of Inuyasha's palm stroking her back. She inhaled and sighed as she released the breath. She didn't realize how comforting Inuyasha's scent was.

"That feels really nice," she sighed contently.

"If you roll over I can give you a better back rub."

He didn't need to tell her twice. Wincing slightly as she turned over, Kagome couldn't fight back the smile on her face as she felt the mattress indent from Inuyasha's movements behind her. She felt his arm slither away from under her pillow so he could sit up on his elbow. Her throat released a satisfied moan when she felt his large, warm hands bend around the back of her neck and roll his thumbs into her shoulders.

Inuyasha chuckled at her. "You should watch those noises," he warned with an aroused glint in his eye. "You may give people in the hall the wrong impression."

Kagome's body cringed causing Inuyasha to laugh and he patted her shoulder comfortingly, assuring her he was teasing her.

"You shouldn't joke about things like that," Kagome groaned, burrowing her face partly into her pillow in embarrassment. Inuyasha continued to massage his hands across her back.

"Why not?"

 _It's embarrassing_ , she thought. _Why does he keep teasing me about sexual stuff?_

Leaving his question unanswered, Kagome allowed her body to sway with the pressure of his actions. Inuyasha didn't feel like pushing the matter.

"Am I applying too much pressure, Kagome?"

She shook her head. "No, your hands feel amazing." She flushed afterwards at her own choice of words. Inuyasha smirked with reddened cheeks, deciding to keep his thoughts to himself.

Pushing the duvet below Kagome's tailbone, he felt her jump when his hand brushed skin revealed by her upraised t-shirt.

"Did I scare you?" he smirked.

She didn't respond, not sure what she could say other than she liked the feeling of his hands on her naked skin. She debated asking him to do it again.

"I don't know how you girls sleep in things like this," he queried, picking at her t-shirt. "The thing is so damn tight I don't know how it can possibly be comfortable to sleep in."

Kagome half-heartedly shrugged. "It varies, I guess. T-shirts, nightgowns, nothing—"

The word was already out of her mouth and propelled into the universe before Kagome could catch herself. She hid her face in the pillow, her face burning with shame. She didn't want to imagine the look on his face right now. A part of her wished he maybe hadn't heard her.

"I remember the nightgown," he said, his husky tone causing her stomach to clench. "I see the t-shirt," he continued, rubbing his hand up her tricep, pushing his fingers up her sleeve to caress her shoulder. "But nothing," he teased, his warm tone heightened with amusement. "I can't say I've seen that one yet."

A laugh flew from Inuyasha's mouth upon hearing Kagome groan with mortification.

"You make it too easy, Kagome."

"You enjoy teasing me too much," she accused, rolling over to peek at him over her shoulder.

"I thought you liked being teased."

Kagome didn't know when the seduction enraptured them both, but it was inclosing them now. It was all she could see, all she could think, all she could feel.

Inuyasha retracted his hands from her as he watched her roll over to face him. She clutched her hands together underneath her chin, her eyes dancing between his.

Closing the distance between them, Inuyasha's thumb caressed the red-scabbed inflammation on Kagome's chin. He became suddenly overwhelmed with nostalgic feelings of incompetence and hopelessness. He hadn't before known that fear could be paralyzing. Yet, he had been immobilized. His mind had reached the worst assumptions of where Kagome had been taken, what had been done to her.

"Does it hurt?"

Kagome withdrew from her own internal thoughts to understand that Inuyasha was referring to the scratch on her chin.

"Not especially," she responded.

Inuyasha's fingers languidly wandered from her chin to trace his thumb across her lips. "What about here?"

She shook her head. She could only feel her heart ravaging itself in expectation.

"And here?" he asked, tracing his fingers across her cheekbones.

"No," she exhaled. Her eyes continued to pulse between his.

"Good," he breathed, straining his neck forward to place a gentle kiss on her chin.

Kagome opened her mouth to gasp, but before a sound could escape, Inuyasha's lips found hers and placed the gentlest kiss upon them. Not giving her enough time to pucker her own lips in response, Inuyasha deserted her lips to caress his own across her cheek. She could feel the warmth and softness of his kiss on her cheekbone.

"Inuyasha, I—"

What began as her turning to address him—to stumble her way through a confession of her feelings—quickly turned into a delicate kiss, instigated by Inuyasha. His hand landed on the small of her back, goading her towards him until there was nowhere left for her body to go. Her breasts kneaded into the firmness of his chest, and Kagome's hand shot up to the back of his neck, pulling his lips into hers.

She was desperate to feel him.

His fingers tickled and massaged the skin of her back underneath her t-shirt. His tongue gently lapped at her entrance, softly persuading her to let him inside. Her tongue thrust at his, meeting him in the middle, stroking the tip of his tongue, the sides of it, the buds atop it.

He smiled and laughed against her mouth, raising his arm to affectionately rub her shoulder.

"Why are you laughing?" she accused, a smile drifting across her own features. Her reddened cheeks and glazing eyes sought his for an answer.

"What? I can't be happy?"

She smiled at him. "I didn't say that."

"Then shut up."

His lips were on hers again. While rolling onto his back, he simultaneously tugged on her bicep so she was partially on top of him. Feeling her wince against his mouth he immediately stopped and opened his eyes with concern.

"Kagome?"

"I'm fine," she answered immediately. "Bouncing across a truckbed was hard on my hips."

She tried to make the comment amusing, but she watched his face transform into a pained expression.

"I'm sorry," she spoke quickly with creased brows, "I shouldn't have said that."

Inuyasha withdrew from her nippily. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, his back facing her. Kagome's eyes surveyed the newfound flesh of his back, taking note of the waistband of his sweatpants.

"Inuyasha?"

"When I first found that truck—saw the doors open, trunk open, those _fucking_ bindings," he cursed, "I didn't know what to make of it. Honestly, I don't really think I thought too much about it at first. I was just _pissed_ that he tied you up."

Kagome's eyes dropped to her wrist, observing the purple indentation encircling the flesh from where she was bound. Her thoughts then jumped to think about her ankles, knowing that she had made herself bleed in her efforts to kick open the trunk or draw attention to herself. She suddenly grew very self-conscious about her body.

"But hearing you acknowledge that you were in the trunk, like," he paused, "like fucking _luggage_ —"

His words trailed off, leaving the room in an intense silence that gave Kagome goosebumps.

"Inuyasha," she called. Her heart was pounding. "Look at me."

He turned to look over his shoulder at the same time her reaching fingers made contact with his spine.

"I don't want you to think of me like that," she uttered quietly with descending eyes. "I don't want you see me as some useless, weak, pathetic girl." She could feel the tears spooling within her chest.

 _I want you to look at me with longing, like I'm sexy, desirable, confident enough to give you what you want. I want you to see me as a woman who can please a man._

"Please don't look at me like that," she cried, turning her face away from his wounded eyes. She inwardly growled at feeling a tear succumb down her cheek. She wiped at it viciously.

"Don't cry, Kagome," Inuyasha begged, turning back towards her, leaving one foot planted on the floor. "You don't know what the sight of your tears does to me."

"Yeah, well, it's not really the greatest feeling when one second I feel wanted and the next I'm self-conscious because I feel like I'm just this little weakling to you."

Inuyasha widened his eyes at her. He hadn't expected to hear such honesty from her lips. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"You listen to me, Kagome," he commanded, turning his body so he was fully on the bed. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?"

Kagome felt him reach for her uninjured hand, forcing her to face him. He reached forward to wipe a tear from her cheek.

"You have no idea how much you are wanted; don't you dare think otherwise." Cupping her cheek in his palm, he sighed. "I don't think of you as a weakling, Kagome. If anything, it's the opposite. You make _me_ feel like a fucking pup. When you're here, I can protect you. But, when Jakotsu took you away from me, and we didn't know where you were—I was scared."

"Inuyasha," she spoke with astonishment, her watery eyes rounded.

He paused, searching the duvet for answers. "I hate feeling weak," he griped. "I hate feeling _need_ and _desperation_. And you do that to me, Kagome. You just fucking look at me with your eyes and I'm—I'm fucking done."

 _What the hell am I doing?_ His mind reeled. _How is any of this coming out? What am I saying? Am I trying to scare her off? Inuyasha, you fucking wuss._

Kagome's feelings and impulses craved Inuyasha so corporeally in that moment, her body acted on autopilot. She was immediately on her knees, facing him. She reached for him, entwining her fingers in his hair, drawing him into her lips in such a heated kiss she thought her emotions would cause her heart to burst from her body.

"Fuck, Kagome," he hissed into her mouth.

His hands ravaged her back, underneath her shirt. His hands burned from the touch of her skin, drawing him back to when the two of them were submerged in his Jacuzzi.

He wanted to be one with her more in that moment than he had ever desired anything in his whole life. He wanted to make love to her more than he had ever wanted revenge, wanted peace from his warring life.

Biting down on her bottom lip and suckling it with his tongue and teeth, Kagome winced, uttering "ow" into his mouth. Withdrawing from her, his aroused, emotive golden orbs affixed on hers, and he sighed against her face, resting his forehead against hers.

"Sorry," he mumbled with pink cheeks. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

She laughed softly, nuzzling his nose with hers. "There're worse ways to hurt me. You just got a little carried away."

Inuyasha smirked at her before his brows dipped upwards questioningly, watching her turn to look at the door behind them.

Her cheeks flushed as her eyes then turned to gaze at her fidgeting fingers. "In all the excitement, I don't think I realized until now I need to use the facilities."

Inuyasha nodded in understanding. He stood quickly from the bed and rounded the mattress, standing in front of Kagome and offering his hands out to her to help her stand.

Grimacing as her feet made contact with the floor, Kagome took a limping couple of steps before turning her gaze to Inuyasha.

"As much as I've enjoyed hiding away in here with you," she paused to blush, "I really do think it's about time I readied myself to join the rest of humanity. Do you," she paused again, "do you think you could help me run a bath?"

Inuyasha smiled warmly at her before nodding.

Before he could even speak, a flush overtook Kagome's face and she was quick to add, "I should be fine to bathe myself. I just need some help with—"

"—Don't worry, Kagome," Inuyasha smirked. "I wasn't planning on imposing.

"Come on," he offered, unlocking the door and holding it open to her.

Kagome passed through the threshold with a pink face, her mind circling the fact that she had been inside a locked bedroom with Inuyasha for over a day.

As Kagome entered the hallway, she could hear the sounds of an active household. Somewhere below her, she could hear a vacuum, and conversations amongst a group of people. The light around her was so bright as she made her way down the hall towards the bathroom that Kagome suspected it had to be midday. When she and Jakotsu had been standing at the side of the road, it had just been daybreak. Kagome realized this to mean that she had been in bed for just over a day and a half. The thought was astounding.

Limping into the bathroom, Kagome could sense Inuyasha behind her. Turning slowly, her eyes widened to see his arms full of clothing. She could especially make out a pair of blue jeans and a creamsicle-coloured bra. Watching a bare-chested Inuyasha storm past her into the bathroom, her cheeks flushed at the idea he had been rooting around in her underwear drawer to find that particular item of clothing.

The sound of rushing water drew her thoughts out of her introspection. Watching Inuyasha leaning over the bathtub, running his fingers through the water and adjusting the temperature as necessary, caused her Kegel muscles to pulse wantonly. She so desperately craved him, wanted to feel him, like she had only a few days ago in his Jacuzzi tub. But, she knew the current circumstances were different. Getting into the bathtub, Kagome realized having Inuyasha with her wasn't a good idea. She wouldn't be able to focus her attentions on acting demure, sensuous, or seductive. She'd be wincing, washing her wounds, preoccupied to keep her cast out of the water while washing herself with a cloth.

That was _not_ how Kagome wanted Inuyasha to actually and legitimately see her naked for the first time.

"Water's ready," Inuyasha called, pulling Kagome out of her contemplations.

"Thank you," she sighed with a smile. She turned to see her clothes piled on the vanity counter, a towel and a small washcloth perched on the corner of the porcelain tub.

"You sure you're okay on your own?" he asked, a pink hue on his cheeks while his eyes turned to scour her cast.

Kagome mimicked his blush, but nodded her head. "I'll be fine."

Inuyasha nodded in response. "I'll be downstairs when you're done."

"Downstairs?" she echoed with a tilt of her head.

Inuyasha stared thoughtfully at the ceramic tile. "I need to go find Miroku. We need to figure out our next plan of attack."

Kagome's eyes widened at his words, but he shook his head at her, and urged her closer to the bathtub.

"We can talk about it later. You look after yourself, Kagome."

Nodding at him, Kagome turned her eyes to the welcoming sight of steaming bath water. Looking down at her feet, Kagome felt her eyes prickle with angry tears at the bloodied wounds orbiting her ankles.

With a heightened resolve, Kagome gripped the hem of her t-shirt with her uninjured hand, lifting it to her midsection, and pausing in a moment of panic to debate how she would raise the garment over her head without the use of her other hand.

Hearing a snorted laugh behind her, Kagome turned with widened eyes to see Inuyasha reclose the bathroom door and approach her.

"Need help?"

Kagome shook her head with enflamed cheeks. "I can get it."

"You sure?" he goaded. "You look like you're struggling."

Licking her lips as she weighed her options, Kagome found that her biggest reservation was Inuyasha seeing her in her bra.

 _You moron_ , she thought. _He's seen you in a bathing suit before. What's the difference?_

Feeling her heart flutter in her stomach, Kagome shyly nodded, stating his help would be appreciated.

Instructing her to raise her arms above her head, Inuyasha's breath hitched in his throat as he grabbed the hem of Kagome's shirt and raised it above her midriff, her breasts, her shoulders, her elbows, and carefully finagled the material around her cast.

Feeling his member harden in his sweatpants, Inuyasha was quick to relinquish her discarded shirt to her, which Kagome held onto in front of her. Her eyes lowered and her body felt heated from his gaze.

Inuyasha wanted nothing more than to grab onto her waist and pull her to him. But, he needed to demonstrate discretion and get himself under control. He couldn't allow his loins to determine his actions.

"Good?" he asked. Inuyasha was just grateful he didn't stutter.

Kagome nodded bashfully, thanking him with a quiet voice.

Turning her back to him, Kagome kept her t-shirt in front of her, reaching around her with her good hand with the intent to unclasp her bra.

Fidgeting with her thumb and forefinger, Kagome hadn't realized she had muttered under her breath, "How the hell do guys do this with one hand?"

A boisterous laugh from Inuyasha caused Kagome to turn with a start. His warm, smiling eyes met hers and he shook his head at her.

"Need some more help?"

Kagome flushed. This was so embarrassing.

"Can you unclasp my bra for me?" she licked her lips and tried to swallow simultaneously.

Inuyasha took a deep breath to steel himself, to force himself to keep his eyes open. He couldn't allow her to see just how much her words affected him.

Swallowing past the lump in his throat, he nodded, taking hesitant steps towards her. His eyes examined her belly button and all the skin he was able to see around her t-shirt. Watching her turn her back to him, Inuyasha felt wordless at the allure of her long black tresses drawn over one shoulder, and her creamy, ashen skin and white bra straps. It took all of his willpower not to run his hands down her arms and fondle every bit of skin visible to him.

Smirking from the side of his mouth, Inuyasha raised one hand and, masterfully, unclasped her bra.

"It's easy to do it with one hand with a little practice, Kagome."

Even though he couldn't see her face, he could feel her rolling her eyes at him, causing him to laugh.

"Thanks—er—for your help, Inuyasha."

Turning from her quickly, before his hands developed a mind of their own, Inuyasha sought sanctuary by the bathroom door. Opening the door and reiterating that he'd see her downstairs when she was done, Inuyasha was quick to close the door behind him. Releasing a heavy exhale, he leaned his back against the closed door.

Closing his eyes and licking his lips, he didn't want to have to emerge from this moment with Kagome. But, he knew the next steps were necessary, especially for Kagome's sake. Taking off towards the stairs, Inuyasha decided he needed a few minutes alone before heading downstairs to find Miroku. Leaping up the stairs two and a time, Inuyasha headed for his room, his mind on Kagome.

He knew for the rest of his life, that image would forever be scarred into his memory. Kagome's beautifully defined spine—her naked back—emerging from the loose ends of her unfastened bra, and her slowly, painfully slowly, lowering the straps down her bare arms.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I wanted to take a second to let you know that I actually started another fic that will truly be a short story (like...5 to 10 chapters at most). It's called **Madame Masseuse**. I just had this idea and it brought such joy I couldn't resist. I hope you'll take some time out of your day to check it out and let me know what you think. I wanted to write a story that was absolutely dedicated to the fluff we love between Inuyasha and Kagome.

Thanks everyone! Your feedback is so beyond appreciated!


	29. Connections Across Time

**A** **uthor's Note**

Sometimes it's really neat to see how this story comes together. The closer and closer I get to the end, the more excited I get. Obviously, not excited to be done with the fic, but excited to write some of the really interesting developments I have in mind. I think you all will really enjoy the next plot arc I've coordinated for you ;)

Please read and review!

* * *

 **Lead Me Down the Garden Path**

* * *

 _Connections Across Time_

* * *

Kaede chopped shallots and garlic cloves with such mesmerizing strokes of her chef's knife Sango couldn't look away. Her cheek reposed heavily in the palm of her hand. Her eyelids drooped from the sudden placidity that overtook her.

It had been over a day since Sango herself became devastatingly involved in Inuyasha's past. Over one whole day since Sango's lip had been bloodied and her chin bruised. It felt surreal. There was so much she didn't understand, so many questions she wanted to direct to Miroku.

And yet, in this moment, her brain was rendered quiet by watching the arguably peaceful task of Kaede preparing dinner.

Parts of Sango's brain tried to persuade her to action: to find Miroku, to check on Kagome, to seek the questions for which she yearned answers. However, her elbows seemed glued to the quartz countertop, her bum stuck in her seat. She found herself in a daydream-like fog that she embraced as unquestionably as her newfound feelings for Miroku.

One second she was enraptured in anger and violence, and now, she found herself in an oblivious peace. One second she was captivated by her disdain of Miroku's womanizing antics, the next, she never wanted to go a single day without being on the receiving end of those very same antics.

It was hard to stomach, the stark juxtapositions in Sango's current life. Everything seemed to be defined in opposites, especially her feelings for Miroku and her involvement in the _Kuzawari_ 's revenge plot against Inuyasha. Her life was a chaotic jumble of things not making sense and then feeling astounded by sudden clarity.

Her mind couldn't fathom how being in bed with Miroku was simple, yet being in the real world with him confounded her with questions and insecurities.

Her mind couldn't understand or pinpoint her current role in Inuyasha's life and his dealings with the Band of Seven, or, rather, the _kobuns_ of the _Kuzawari_ Gang.

 _Right_ , she thought. _I need to stop calling them that. They're not a_ band. _They never were a real band._

It was hard for Sango to accept the rupturing truth about the idolized musical obsession from her youth. Sango knew she housed, deep in the pit of her stomach, feelings of longing, of something once loved now torn away from her, that she couldn't remedy. She had to hate them; and she _did_ hate them. However, she remembered a time when she loved them, the Band, and the thought brought shameful tints of pink to her cheeks. Her guilt-ridden nostalgia made Sango feel uncomfortable underneath Inuyasha's roof, and in Inuyasha's company.

She would never be able to speak of the Band of Seven—how _she_ knew the Band of Seven—without the band name spurring in the others feelings of resentment and rage. There was no where for her feelings to go. Sango couldn't voice them externally, so they lingered deep inside her, appearing at the most inopportune moments. Sango felt stuck; there wasn't a way to voice her longing, her nostalgia, because the thing about which she felt nostalgic never really existed. She had feelings of sentimentality about a lie, and that fact alone caused Sango's stomach to wrench with bitterness.

Perhaps it was that anger and animosity within her that made Sango find comfort in Souta's presence at the Manor. She recognized the deliberate ignorance to which Souta clung to his idolization. After all, Sango _knew_ Souta was a youth of the times; he had all the latest social media applications on his phone, and he knew which media companies' websites to go to when he wanted to learn the juiciest celebrity gossip. Souta's being witness to the band's genuine evil, Kagome's kidnapping, finally seemed to cause his façade to shatter, and Sango saw the light of adoration dim in Souta's eyes.

She knew exactly what that felt like.

The ignorant part of them both wanted to call the recent band reports scandalous blasphemy, words handed out to the public in hopes of causing an uproar, as the media is wont to do. Yet, Sango recognized in Souta the same uncomfortable disquiet from being forced to face the unwelcome juxtaposition of something previously loved so dearly and now made to hate.

Despite years of admiration and fanaticism, the truth was too cacophonous to deny for either Sango or Souta. Kyokotsu, Mukotsu, and Ginkotsu really did break into Inuyasha's house and were now dead because of it. Suikotsu really had been the man who tried to run Kagome and Totosai off the road at gunpoint. Sango's favourite member of the band really had kidnapped Kagome with the goal of torturing her mentally and physically. Souta's childhood hero and lifelong idol really was the former ringleader of a group solely created as a front for a gang boss to accomplish his criminal endeavours.

When Sango spelled it out like that, how could she and Souta _not_ hate them?

Above all, though, Sango hated them for deceiving her. She felt used and betrayed; they manipulated her into adoring them. They may have been able to manipulate hundreds of thousands, but Sango abhorred the fact that she so blindly fell into the trap. The _Kuzawari_ so easily lured and ensnared her into their web of lies. The thought delivered such a blow to her gut it made her saliva taste sour. The gravity of their duplicity, Sango's love of the lie, caused her stomach to coil in knots.

"You seem distracted, Sango," Kaede's grandmotherly voice called over the sound of a bubbling pot of water. "Why not go rest, child?"

Sango offered the old woman a kind but tired smile.

"My body does feel tired. It's just," Sango paused, distracted, "my mind is running non-stop with questions and doubts." Then, almost as if snapping out of it, Sango offered Kaede an apologetic smile saying, "I'm not bothering you, am I?"

Kaede laughed in response. "Not in the least, Sango. It's actually a nice change of pace to have someone with me while I prepare a meal."

"Can I do anything to help, Kaede?"

Kaede was quick to motion towards Sango with a spatula pointed at the young woman in warning. "Take one step out of that seat and I'll have you out of this kitchen faster than you can say 'Sengoku Manor'."

Sango released an exhaled laugh, offering the woman an eye-crinkling grin. She nodded in agreement.

"Will the young Higurashi be joining us for supper again?"

Sango bit her lip at the question, responding with a reserved, "No, he will not be. Souta has gone home."

"Ah," Kaede replied, turning to face the stovetop. "I see. I do hope Kagome got to say goodbye. She's been asleep for far too long; I hope she's alright."

Sango's eyesight lowered, lingering on the quartz countertop.

Her mind distractedly transported her to the night prior, when she had sat up in bed and wrung the sheets between her hands with guilt.

"He's gone?"

"Yes," Miroku said with a grunt, easing his sling over his head. "I can't say it was an easy conversation, but I am grateful he understood."

Souta was the only one who could have understood what Sango was going through, and now he was gone. Sango knew Kagome would feel the loss of his presence in the house; however, in that moment, Sango felt suffocated by her isolation.

"Hmm," Sango hummed thoughtfully. "I just hope Kagome isn't too upset she didn't get to say goodbye. She already has so much to worry about."

Miroku groaned as he rotated his injured arm to inspect the damage. "Kagome seems to worry more about the rest of us than she does about herself."

Sango snorted with a fond smile. "Yeah, she does that."

Miroku's eyes had gazed into the distance as he focused his thoughts on undoing his belt with one hand. "The last thing she needs right now is to worry about the wellbeing of her brother. I can't speak for you, Sango, but I certainly wouldn't be able to live with myself if we allowed anything to happen to Souta by permitting him to stay."

"No," she sighed, wishing she could be selfish and disagree. "Asking him to go was the smart thing to do. Besides, it's not like you told him he wasn't welcome here."

"Of course not," Miroku retorted quickly, turning around to face Sango.

Sango gulped at the strain and twinge of his muscles beneath his skin. Sleeping with him was such a routine act these past few weeks and yet Sango still found her mouth drying at the sight of his body.

Her cheeks had pinked in embarrassment for allowing her mind to deviate during a moment of solemnity.

"Both you and Kagome," he smiled sadly, trying to avoid the sight of her split lip, "got caught in the line of fire with Inuyasha's— _my_ —past. I don't want anyone else to become entangled in all of this."

"I know, Miroku."

He sighed. "Then why do I feel so guilty for sending him away?"

Sango leaned forward to rest a comforting hand on top of his. "Because you— _we_ —denied his request to say goodbye to Kagome; but, you know it's for the best that couldn't happen. I know Kagome," she laughed forlornly. "I know she would have protested Souta's leaving. She may have understood deep down that he needed to go, but she would have objected regardless."

Miroku intertwined his fingers with Sango's, his injured arm loose in his lap. "Have I told you recently, Sango, how much I appreciate and cherish having you here?"

Sitting in the kitchen, Sango covered her cheeks with her hands in fondness of the recollection. She couldn't put her finger on exactly when Miroku became a love interest; however, she was grateful to have him as a source of comfort.

"Can I get you anything, Sango?" Kaede asked, interrupting Sango's thoughts.

Sango shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, Kaede, but no thank you. I'm fine."

"Not even a cup of tea?"

Sango smiled with closed eyes at the older woman. "Unfortunately, I need to take a break from the hot liquids until my lip completely heals." Sango brushed her fingertips against the culpable wound. "I aggravated it this morning with a cup of coffee."

"Can I get you some ice, then? I still see a bit of swelling, Sango."

Sango waved away Kaede's worry. "I promise I'm fine, Kaede. It will heal with time."

Kaede cast Sango an unconvinced glance before the woman turned her attentions back to her cooking, leaving Sango to her wandering thoughts.

 _The attack in Aokigahara Forest feels like so long ago_ , she thought, continuing to run her fingers gently over the scabbing. _Gosh, I hope Kagome wakes up soon._

Thinking about what had happened in the forest caused a chill to erupt down Sango's spine. Wrapping her arms around herself, Sango leaned into the counter, a frown overtaking her features.

Inuyasha had thundered his way into the bush, leaving them behind. In the moments that followed, in what seemed to Sango like a few fast-forwarded seconds, men in black uniform surrounded her, with bulletproof padding over their chests and long-barrel guns swinging like syncopated pendulums at their waists.

She had followed Miroku's lead through the forest, listened to his whispered instructions to the men who followed behind them. Sango had watched them accept the commands and disperse into pairs in various directions, leaving her and Miroku on their own. The surrounding area was silent except for their footfalls, and the quiet was incredibly unsettling.

Even though the gravity of their situation—Kagome's situation—sat heavily in Sango's sternum the whole time, the enormity of what Sango was involved in finally sunk in and suffocated her. Sango had finally realized she was in the middle of something far beyond her depth when she felt large forearms circling her midriff, pulling her towards the ground forcefully. Fighting the choking grip against her diaphragm, Sango had elbowed her attacker in the nose, feeling the wince-inducing crunch of breaking cartilage. Thinking her defensive move had given her enough time to escape, Sango had lunged in the opposite direction. Only to feel a tear-jerking grip on her ponytail. Her defensive maneuver had only caused the man to get rougher with her, slapping her, shaking her.

Sango's fingers drifted over the inflamed contusion on her mouth, the two stitches she received from where the _kobun_ had struck her, forcing her to the ground.

She only remembered the feel of her pulse in her mouth, the taste of blood. A stunned time warp had encircled her. The next time she had looked upwards Sango saw that same _kobun's_ dead expression facing her. She later learned that Miroku had punched the man to the point of unconsciousness, eventually killing him, a series of actions severely fracturing the metacarpal bones in Miroku's hand in the process.

The rest of the event was a blur. Sango had operated on autopilot, hiding when Miroku told her to hide, running when he told her to run. Her brain couldn't register the sound of male's screams, the distant gunshots that echoed around her, the scuffle of bodies engaging in a fight to the death.

Sango licked her lip and then flinched from the pressure.

She remembered Miroku shooting someone. It was something that still sat heavily on Sango's chest and mind. Gentle, courteous, and libidinous Miroku killed a man. Killed _two_ men. Right in front of Sango. She had watched how he handled himself, fighting expertly. He knew how to get out of a hold, hold to immobilize a man.

It was a terrifying thought that her lover was a killer. That the same hands that expertly ravaged the most secretive and sensitive places on her body were the hands that had also drawn blood, taken life. It was especially troubling to Sango because Miroku wasn't _like_ Inuyasha. Miroku didn't seem to enjoy the taunting exchange of male egos, the primal and carnal desire to defeat an opponent. Miroku fought and killed to survive. Sango knew that taking the life of another human weighed heavily on Miroku's conscious. After all, the evening after the fight, Sango had been there to witness Miroku tossing and turning in bed, shedding tears in his sleep, asking for forgiveness. Between the conflict in the forest and asking Souta to leave, Sango saw that Miroku's mental health was distressed.

The entire incident in the forest had left Sango in a state of overwhelming helplessness; however, what heightened her speechlessness and fear was her sighting Renkotsu. Where other _kobun_ were engaged with Miroku's guards, Renkotsu seemed completely disinterested in the fighting around him. Renkotsu looked like he was searching for something, or someone. Kagome? Inuyasha? Jakotsu? Sango didn't know for sure, but she knew enough to alert Miroku to Renkotsu's presence.

Miroku had dropped everything to pursue Renkotsu. The celebrity _kobun_ aware of the former Naichō agent's interest in him, Renkotsu took off. Miroku had shouted at Sango to keep up and she urged her legs as fast as they could to follow in Miroku's wake, despite the magnitude of the headache that had thud throughout her skull.

Sango remembered seeing Miroku's sheer anger at losing Renkotsu in the woods, uncertain how the _kobun_ had gotten away from them.

Sango also remembered the cold dread that lingered in her chest at the sight of Inuyasha carrying an unconscious Kagome in his arms.

When Sango had spotted her childhood friend, nothing else mattered. Renkotsu was a long forgotten memory. Even her headache was nothing in comparison to the fear that encapsulated Sango's entire being. For a moment, Sango was convinced Kagome was dead; the pale skin, bluish hue to Kagome's lips, and bloodied exterior were the only suggestions Sango needed to suspect Jakotsu had ended Kagome's life. But then Inuyasha filled Miroku in on what happened, and Sango shed tears of relief that Miroku and one of his men mistook to be an emotional reaction of shock to recent events.

"Kaede."

Sango's recollection snapped into the present at the newfound sound of Inuyasha's voice entering the kitchen. Sango turned in her seat to face him despite Inuyasha having called out to Kaede and not Sango. Sango observed that his hair looked wet, like he had just come out from the shower. Sango's chest swelled with anticipation. If Inuyasha had left Kagome's room, did that mean Kagome was awake?

"Have you seen Miroku?"

The old woman turned at Inuyasha's address and question, wiping her hands on a dishcloth.

"I believe he's outside," she answered, her eyes motioning towards the French doors leading to the outdoor patio.

Inuyasha nodded at the woman and gestured his body towards the door.

"Inuyasha," Sango spoke quickly, a lump evident in her throat. "Kagome," she concluded with eyes widened in question although the single word was not implied as a question.

"She's fine," he replied, understanding Sango's intention from the mention of her friend's name. His tone was narrow and his eyes turned away from her. Sango could read in his body language that he had no desire to linger here to chat. She could tell that his mind seemed elsewhere.

"She'll be down soon."

Before Sango could direct any further questions at him, Inuyasha was already disappearing through the French doors. All trace of him was gone from the kitchen within seconds.

* * *

When Inuyasha stepped outside, he paused in uncertainty at the scene before him, his hand not leaving the doorframe. Miroku sat amongst piles and piles of muddled, mismatched paperwork, his hands absently browsing through sheets on his lap while he turned to speak to the head of security seated adjacent to him.

Inuyasha showed up mid-conversation.

"—certain this was all of it?"

"Yes, sir," the guard obediently nodded. "The room's been emptied. The previous stack was the last of it."

"And has Inuyasha been—?"

"—And has Inuyasha been, _what_?"

Miroku turned his head sharply towards the French Doors. The shock was legible on Miroku's face as his gaze lingered on Inuyasha. He was clearly surprised by his friend's sudden appearance.

"Inuyasha," Miroku called, his rigid body slightly loosening once the initial shock faded. "How is Kagome?"

The question seemed blunt given Inuyasha's eavesdropping; however, Miroku appreciated the momentary reprieve, distraction, from Inuyasha's hostile, suggestive question.

Inuyasha seemed to parse through several thoughts before a slight flush coated his cheeks and he looked out towards the mid-evening sun.

"She'll be fine," he answered.

"Did she—"

"—Pardon the interruption, sir," the head of security stated, getting to his feet. "Do you need anything else from me?"

Both Inuyasha and Miroku turned to look at the man in uniform, standing in front of the chaise and grasping his hands in front of him.

"No," Inuyasha answered quickly on Miroku's behalf. He gathered a handful of paper, careful he wouldn't sit on anything, before lowering himself into the generously-plush cushion. "You're dismissed. Miroku and I have some shit to discuss."

"Yes, sir," the man bowed his head at Inuyasha. "Should you need anything further from me—"

"—Yeah, yeah, yeah," Inuyasha motioned with his hand, an action meant to silence and shoo the guard away so he could speak to Miroku in private.

Miroku offered the guard an apologetic shrug before Miroku turned to address Inuyasha. "How are—"

"—What _is_ all of this shit, Miroku?" Inuyasha interrupted, ruffling through the papers and turning them over in his hands to scour the contents. "What the hell have you been up to all day? Clearly you've been busy with _something_ …"

Miroku took a deep breath before placing beside him the papers on his lap. He turned to face Inuyasha with a steeled expression.

"I have an update for you, my friend; however, I don't think it's going to be one you'll be happy to hear."

"Just cut to the chase, will ya?" Inuyasha snorted with frustration, tossing the papers amongst the discarded rest beside him. It all looked like nonsensical gibberish to him: names, addresses, to-do lists; it was nothing of consequence. Why the hell was Miroku interested in all that garbage?

"I spoke with the Deputy Director this morning—"

"—For fuck's sake," Inuyasha muttered, in interruption, under his breath.

"—and gave an update on what's happened since you last flew out to headquarters those few days ago. As you'll recall," Miroku sighed, ignoring Inuyasha's interruption, "the last direction we received was that if there was any _contact_ —"

"— _Feh!_ Define _contact_ —"

"—with known _Kuzawari_ members we were to provide report immediately to the Deputy Director."

"So, what? You're their little errand boy again?"

Miroku fought the urge to roll his eyes. "I'd hardly call it that, Inuyasha. Not even you can deny that the Family has national security implications. I'm simply doing my due diligence as a Japanese civilian."

"And what the hell does all this paperwork have to do with that Deputy Director asshole?"

Miroku took a steadying breath before continuing. He knew what he had to say was going to shake Inuyasha's very foundation.

"During the call, the Deputy advised me of something," Miroku paused to search for the right word. "Troubling," he concluded. "One of the Deputy's Research Analysts found an archived document; one that I would argue has significant implications for us."

"And that document would be…" Inuyasha grumbled. Miroku was beginning to try Inuyasha's patience.

"A severance agreement between Naichō and—" Miroku gulped; this was it— "your father."

Inuyasha recoiled so viciously it made Miroku flinch.

"What the _actual_ fuck?" Inuyasha spat, his eyes turning to the loose papers for an explanation. "Between your fucking ex-employer and my old man? What the hell does that even _mean_!?"

Miroku's eyes skirted over the paperwork beside him while he collected his thoughts. After a few heavy moments of silence, he spoke. "Severance pay is compensation that is paid to an employee who has their employment 'severed'. This type of pay, Inuyasha, is meant to compensate an employee for losses that occur when a long-term employee loses their job. The fact that this Analyst found an agreement of severance between Tōga and Naichō means that your father was a Naichō employee, and for quite some time too."

"That's impossible," Inuyasha seethed, his heart racing. "My dad was a public servant. He—he was just some kind of court official. He—"

"—Inuyasha," Miroku interrupted with empathetic eyes and a soft tone. "Do you _know_ who your father was? What he actually did? When I ended my call with the Deputy Director, I did a little digging on your father. I had my men gather every piece of documentation they could find that belonged to Tōga. I needed to understand why Naichō would have any interest in him."

"And I'm guessing you found something," Inuyasha choked with an accusatory tone.

Inuyasha felt like he coudn't breath. His lungs felt claustrophobic. He was torn between rage at Miroku for raiding Inuyasha's—his father's—private and personal business and feelings of devastation and shock at the revelation Inuyasha's father was a Naichō employee. How was that possible? How could Inuyasha not have known that? Did Sesshoumaru know?

"Tōga Taisho was the nineteenth Chief Justice of Japan," Miroku explained, "which means he was the head of the judicial branch of Japanese government. It's a role ceremonially appointed by the Emperor of Japan after one is nominated by the Cabinet." Miroku connected his thumbs and forefingers together as he spoke, as if the gesture helped him gather his thoughts and speak clearly. "The only other person in Japanese society who is handpicked by the Emperor himself is the Prime Minister."

"So my old man was a big deal in the system," Inuyasha shrugged. He was trying to downplay the news. Inuyasha didn't want Miroku to realize just how shaken Inuyasha truly felt; his stomach churned and ached with confusion.

"But it's the connection between them, Inuyasha, that you're failing to see. The Ministry of Justice oversees and is responsible for both the judicial system _and_ Japan's intelligence agency. This means that at one time both Naichō and your father reported to one man, the Minister of Justice.

"I spent my day doing some combined research with the Deputy's Analyst, and we discovered that your father's employment with Naichō coincided with the indictment of the former Minister of Justice, Haku Mōryōmaru."

Inuyasha's eyebrows furrowed in recollection of the name. "Wasn't he the bastard who got kicked out of government?"

Miroku smirked. "I'm surprised you pay attention to the news at all, Inuyasha. Yes, he was the former Justice Minister who was charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. Mōryōmaru was criminally prosecuted and given a life sentence in prison."

"And what does that have to do with my dad?"

"When I was a Research Analyst with Naichō, I had stumbled upon the name Mōryōmaru before. He was a known associate of Naraku's."

"Hold on," Inuyasha demanded, leaning forward in an effort to help himself think clearly. "So you're telling me that both Naichō and my old man reported to the same corrupt asshole who was known to hang around with Naraku?"

"That's correct."

"That's fucked up," Inuyasha sighed, rubbing his face with a single hand before leaning back into the cushions.

A moment of silence captured the two men while both tried to think through the jumble of implications churning in their minds. Inuyasha ended the silence by reaching into his back pocket and beginning to unwrap a new, unopened package of Sobranie Black Russian cigarettes.

Miroku sighed. "I thought you quit."

Inuyasha didn't acknowledge Miroku's comment. Instead, he pulled out his yellow matchbook, lit a match, and took a steady inhalation of smoke. His eyes watered as the smoke burned his lungs in a morbidly delicious wave of nostalgia.

"I'm surprised you still use the same brands," Miroku sighed, analysing Inuyasha's every gesture. He recognized the same brand of matches and cigarettes that all the _kobuns_ used to use.

"Nothing else feels right," Inuyasha exhaled, feeling guilt begin to swell in his chest before quenching it with another robust inhale. "Not another brand of cigarettes, not even using a lighter. Besides, I need to do something about the stress before it kills me."

"The cigarettes are likely to kill you first."

Inuyasha merely shrugged Miroku's words away before the two succumbed to another lingering silence.

Inuyasha was the first to break it again.

"Hey, Miroku. Do you think Naichō teamed up with my dad in a joint effort to bring down Mōryōmaru?"

"That's quite a powerful alliance," Miroku mused. "A nation's intelligence agency and the head of the judiciary system."

"Was Mōryōmaru a known associate of Naraku's while my dad was the chief judge?"

Miroku shook his head. "I couldn't imagine that being known at the time of the indictment. But then again, the indictment was years ago; we were only children when it happened. Who knows what could have been public knowledge or hearsay? I didn't make the connection until years after your dad passed away. So, that being said, it may be a truth just waiting to be uncovered."

A silence lingered after Miroku spoke and Miroku attributed the silence to his having spoken to Tōga's death. Miroku held his breath expecting the comment to warrant a negative response from Inuyasha, but Inuyasha gave no sign that he even heard the comment. He just appeared introspective, puffing away on his cigarette, seeming to enjoy it while it lasted. Miroku couldn't remember the last time he saw Inuyasha give into his old habit.

"Do you think they would have known?"

"Known what?" Miroku probed.

"About Naraku being the _oyabun,_ and about the Family," Inuyasha answered after a lengthy drag. "I mean, if Naichō was investigating Mōryōmaru and then they used my dad's power of office to prosecute him, they would have made one hell of an enemy in Naraku. Do you think they would have known exactly who they were crossing? I can't imagine how the _oyabun_ would have made a friend in the Minister of Justice in the first place, but Naraku must have been pissed to lose that tie."

"That's an interesting suggestion, Inuyasha," Miroku deliberated, his hand to his chin. "Unfortunately, there's not a single piece of documentation I could find that indicates Tōga and Naraku had any connection, suggesting they knew the other existed."

Inuyasha grabbed a handful of papers in both hands while the cigarette butt hung languidly between his lips.

"You mean this shit?"

Miroku nodded. "What baffles me, Inuyasha, is how vague it all is." His eyes turned towards the paperwork and skimmed a few sentences. "Some items seem to be in chronological order, and some of the names I've found are known public figures. But there's so much nonsensical whimsy that just seems to be here and there. As an entire works, it all seems meaningless."

"Chronological, you say?" Inuyasha commented, comparing a few sheets together.

Miroku nodded, eyeing up a piece of paper with a list of seemingly random addresses on it.

"Where's the earliest date you've seen?"

"Over here," Miroku motioned to his left. "You're sitting by the most current dates."

"Pass me them. The oldest ones."

Miroku did as asked and watched with curiosity as Inuyasha went back and forth between papers, his eyes absorbing the information hungrily.

Inuyasha couldn't believe this was the first time he had even touched his father's documents. A part of his heart thud at the thought that Inuyasha was now the third person to handle his father's documents after Tōga's death. First, Kagome's brother. Then, Miroku. And now, lastly, Inuyasha. He hated feeling like the last to the party when it was his family's personal information being rifled through.

"You know I should kick your ass for having your cronies go through my dad's shit."

"I know," Miroku sighed nonchalantly.

Then, silence lingered between them both as Inuyasha took one final drag on his cigarette and discarded the butt behind him.

"It seems vague," Inuyasha remarked indifferently, "but it makes sense to me."

Miroku leaned forward in interest. "In what way?"

Inuyasha groaned, the obviousness of it all feeling like a weight being lifted from the centre of his chest. "It's fucking obvious now, actually."

"Then, enlighten me," Miroku encouraged with a cocked eyebrow.

"It's about me," Inuyasha sighed, trying to hide the pained tone in his voice. "He was tracking me. Probably using his connection with Naichō to do it too."

Miroku grabbed some of the papers that lay between him and Inuyasha. His eyes scoured for newfound meaning following Inuyasha's revelation.

"How on earth did you figure that out from all this nonsense?"

Inuyasha smirked. "The first dated page. Those notes. You see all those locations? I would have been six when those notes were made. I think I was taken around that time. He was looking for me.

"Then there's this page," Inuyasha noted, holding out a single page to Miroku's reaching hand. "See how it's titled 'Known whereabouts'? Naraku had a dojo in each of those places. He moved around a lot, and I was forced to follow. I dunno how my old man managed to figure that out. Shit, he even had _Aokigahara_ on that list. He could have come to get me within a couple of hours..."

"He was tracking you." Miroku's comment faded into nothing as his mind turned with the sudden revelation.

"And the news articles. Your mother."

Inuyasha nodded abruptly, an action that silenced Miroku's words. "Yeah. He was tracking her too."

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha."

"Don't be. I barely knew the man. Clearly, if he had to keep track of his family by collecting this shit on us it must mean he was a pretty shit dad."

Inuyasha turned over another piece of paper.

A disbelieving snort through his nostrils followed after he read the first few words.

"He was on the fucking board of directors," Inuyasha grumbled under his breath. "My dad wasn't a fucking _employee,_ Miroku," Inuyasha snapped, tossing the paperwork onto Miroku's lap. "He fucking _supervised_ Naichō. That's rich."

Having read over the document that was just moment's ago in Inuyasha's hands, Miroku leaned back into the plush backing of the seat, his mouth wide in disbelief. The contract felt heavy on Miroku's lap.

"That's a lot of power for one man to have at one time," Miroku stated, his brain trying to piece it all together. "While Tōga was the acting Chief Justice, he was also one of the governing powers for the agency responsible for obtaining information in support of law enforcement, national security, military, and foreign policy objectives."

Inuyasha snorted. "I'm not surprised my dad had a reputation."

"A reputation?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Anytime I brought dad up, Sesshoumaru used to say that our father was nothing more than corrupt government agent who was as good at covering up the evidence as he was creating it."

Miroku's eyes widened. "That's quite the remark."

Inuyasha nodded again. "And the thing is, you read the news at the time of his death and there was lots of speculation about the sort of shit he was involved in. I guess his death just shut the door on all the rumours. The man was dead so what was the point in digging into it any deeper?"

"He certainly was a very powerful man," Miroku commented absently. "Especially in the last years of his life. You know, Inuyasha," Miroku stated suddenly, the tone in his voice changing. "My thoughts keep drifting back to a comment you made earlier, about Naraku."

"About my father and Naichō making an enemy out of him?"

"Exactly," Miroku bowed. "This is entirely supposition, but what if what you suggested is correct? Let's pretend Naraku was enraged that a powerful ally was taken away from him. What do you think he would have done?"

Inuyasha snorted. "Either killed the bastard responsible for immediate gratification, or do what he typically does and make the subject suffer for a long time."

Miroku's jaw opened with a sudden realization. "How much do you know about the history of the criminal justice system in Japan, Inuyasha?"

"Not a damn thing, but why do I get the feeling I'm about to be given a lesson in it?" Inuyasha joked.

Miroku ignored his joking nature.

"In the more primitive days of the system, did you know that kin and neighbours could share blame for an offender's guilt? Whole families could be put to death for one member's transgression."

"Sounds like a shitty time to be alive. What's your point, Miroku?"

"Inuyasha, do you not see where I'm going with this? Your father undermines Naraku by confiscating a strong ally—maybe even his strongest ally. You know how sentimental Naraku is. He's tied to history, mementoes, milestones. What if Naraku _did_ take revenge against your father? And what if he did it by using the very same code that your father was meant to stand for?"

"What are you saying, Miroku?"

Miroku met Inuyasha's gaze with sombre eyes. "What if Naraku's kidnapping you was no accident, Inuyasha? What if kidnapping _you_ was Naraku's revenge against Tōga? It's like the Biblical reference: the sins of the father being passed on to the son."

"But," Inuyasha paused, gulping past the lump in his throat as his eyes skimmed his father's notes. "That would imply my dad knew I was taken."

Miroku bit the inside of his cheek sullenly. "Yes, I suppose it does."

Inuyasha had to talk through this new revelation before he felt like his head was going to explode.

"So, you're suggesting that Naraku kidnapped me as an act of revenge against my dad, and my dad _knew_ Naraku took me! Why the fuck wouldn't he come after me then? Why just sit back and make fucking notes about where I am and who I'm _killing,_ rather than actually doing something about it? What kind of father does something like that?"

"I know how it sounds, Inuyasha," Miroku sighed, running a hand through his hair. "And it's all speculation like I said. It might just give us a little more to go on if it is true."

"And how the hell are we supposed to find out if my dad and Naraku really knew each other?"

"I have an idea," Miroku stated after a short lapse. "But you're probably not going to like it."

Inuyasha sighed. "When have I ever liked any of your ideas?"

"We need to call Kagura."

" _Feh_! That's a shit suggestion. What the fuck can she do for us? Kagura never gets her hands dirty. She has all her little lackeys to do her shit for her. Just call one of your old Analyst buddies yourself."

"Kagura has been with Naichō for _years_. She used to be my boss in case you forgot, Inuyasha. You may find her vexing—"

"—That's one word for it—!"

"—And I'll admit she tries my patience on the best of days. But she has access to considerable amounts of classified information, including that in the archives. She may have the information we're looking for."

" _Ugh—_ Fine!" Inuyasha spat, crossing his arms in defeat. "Call her."

"You know she won't give me information over an unsecured line, Inuyasha. She'll want a meeting. At headquarters."

"And we'll go like the good little errand boys we are," Inuyasha quipped. "Just hurry up and call her, Miroku, before I change my mind."

Miroku pulled his phone from his breast pocket, scrolling through recent calls he had made. Selecting the number on his screen from a call he had made that morning, Miroku turned his eyes away from Inuyasha as the phone rang.

" _Naikaku Jōhō Chōsashitsu_. This is Kanna. How may I direct your call?"

"Kanna, it's Miroku Houshi. I need to speak with Kagura. Can you put me through?"

"I'm sorry, Miroku," Kanna's introverted, monotone voice replied. "Ms. Toppū is unavailable this evening. I can put you through to her voicemail."

"Kanna, this is urgent," Miroku responded promptly, trying to quell the irritation rising in his tone. "Can you please just get Kagura and tell her I need to—"

"—You have reached the confidential voicemail of Kagura Toppū, Deputy Director of Cabinet Intelligence at _Naikaku Jōhō Chōsashitsu_. Please—"

Miroku hung up without leaving a message.

"I can't believe Kanna just put me through to her voicemail! Does she not realize the urgency with which I need to—"

The whimsical chime of his phone's ringer interrupted Miroku's rant. Without bothering to read the caller display, Miroku accepted the call and placed the receiver to his ear.

"Miroku Houshi speaking."

"You're lucky I'm even giving you a call back at all, Miroku. Hanging up without leaving a message? I would have assumed you to have some manners. I hope Inuyasha isn't rubbing off on you too much."

"Kagura, listen," Miroku exhaled into the phone. "We need to talk."

"Of course we do," she curtly replied. Her rich, alto voice resonated warmly in Miroku's ear. "You know the drill, Miroku."

"Yes, yes, I'm familiar with your protocols."

"Shall I send a driver for you?"

"No, thank you. We can coordinate our own transportation."

"I'll see you soon then, Miroku."

"Very well."

"Oh, and Miroku?

"Yes, Kagura?"

"Bring the girl. The one in which the _Kuzawari_ seem to have an interest. I want to ask her a few questions."

"Do I or Inuyasha have a say in the matter?"

Miroku could hear Kagura's smirk through the call. "We both know the answer to that."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Ta-da! So, do I know you as well as I think I do? Are you ready to go down the rabbit hole that is Tōga Taisho? I sure am!


End file.
